A Short Supply of Love
Is your love in short supply? We can pray.
Join us for our Daily Devotional Chat today in our Women’s Chatroom at 10:30 am EST.
Spontaneous feelings of love spring from our hearts when we think of some of the dear people in our lives. Then there are others who are not so easy to love. They challenge our sense of justice, our patience and even our Christian faith as we grappled with how to love them.
The Bible clearly outlines the characteristics of love. One phrase stands out today:
“Love is patient and is kind” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).
It’s easy to call to mind those who challenge our patience and love. There might be those at work or at church who are spreading rumors; or that neighbor who just seems to want to make life miserable for everyone around. What about the one who acts in a way toward their family that disgusts you or even the politician who represents you and makes decisions contrary to your beliefs? Even some family members can be trying, leaving us feeling justified in withholding our love.
Yet here God clearly outlines the characteristics of love. His Word says the world should know we are Christians by our love. Love should be the hand-rail that will steady us in all our relationships and dealings with the world around us. Yet how is it possible? One can not just turn a blind eye to injustice, mistreatment and gossip.
The springs of love are within God. Love does not naturally exist in our own hearts when challenged by things that grate on us. God tells us exactly what is required of us when we face this dilemma in our hearts. Listen to His wisdom:
“And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly
To love mercy
And to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).
It makes sense. Our responsibility is simply to walk humbly with our God. We need to allow Him to keep our hearts soft with mercy while striving for fairness. This will make a difference in the situations where people seem so irritating. His Holy Spirit gives us the patience and the ability to be kind and to look for fairness in our dealings. This approach would help bring balance to situations that may be getting out of control. This love makes sense. It brings perspective. It doesn’t suggest a “door mat” response yet it holds out hope when mercy and fairness, from God’s heart, fill ours and helps us deal patiently with some of the hard people in life.
prayer & reflection
Father in Heaven, You have called me to love the world around me. It’s not an easy thing to do. Thank you that You not only spell out how but You also offer the resource of Your mercy and Your wisdom to bring balance to circumstances that seem so out of balance. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit today and let Your love flow through me so others see You through me. In Jesus’ name, amen
Questions: Who in you circle of acquaintance would benefit by receiving love from you today? How could you show love to some of the hard people in your life?
About the Author Gail Rodgers
Tags: Bible, challenge, gail rodgers, gossip, hand-rail, injustice, justice, kind, love, mistreatment, patience, politician, pray
17 Responses to “A Short Supply of Love”
Leave a Reply
Start a Conversation
Media
What Do You Fear?
What do you fear, and why? Is it holding you back from realizing your full potential?
>Watch
- Contact
- |
- Advertising
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Link to Us
- |
- Media Releases
- |
- What we believe
Judith, I am constantly reminded that “greater is He that in you than he that is in the world”. God is not only a God of love but also a God of justice. “Vengence is mine, saith the Lord”. There are times in our lives when the only person we can change is ourselves and even then it is through the Lord and Him alone that we can ever claim victory. It may very well be the only difference you can ever make in the life of your dear one will be the love that God drenches her with THROUGH you. And it may very well be what will keep her afloat for now.
“I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me”. (Phil. 4:13). There IS victory in Jesus! Bless you!!!
Sister Marge,
Thank you for this message. Funny thing is, the pastor at church today said the same thing about – God having the “Last Word.” Thank you for speaking out of His Spirit again today – what a reminder. Also, it is a personal challenge of mine – not to react/ speak out of ‘meanness’ when you are challenged – I live & work in NYC. It is truly hard not to react at times, but I pray for the supernatural power & strength to ‘react’ the right way. I don’t know what you could be going through right now, but I pray God covers us with His Strong Presence, Love & Peace today. In the name of Jesus, Amen!
Judith – your situation is very difficult at best. Our human love (philo) can never be like our Heavenly Father’s love (agape) which was one way, self sacrificing. So for you to see this sad situation through His eyes cannot be. But the one “balancing act” in all of this is to remember how He felt when His Son was being beaten, spit on, tortured by those who hung Him on the old rugged cross and to know that He does care about you and your step-daughter and how she is being treated. He does understand it ALL. “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee” (Psa. 55:22a). “The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The Lord is with me; He is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies”(Psa. 118:6,7)
God will have the last say when all ugliness is forever dissolved and the righteous SHALL prevail. Trusting – keeping your eyes fixed on Him and waiting upon Him for His Perfect Release from this evil will help you to rise above it all and be the Child of God that you can through all of the distasteful life situations that come your way. God gave all personalities in the Word so that we can learn from them and live beyond where we are. I think of Job who absolutely lost everything but he never once turned his heart or thoughts away from God. (“Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfector of our faith…”)When all else humanly fails, you have Him and He IS sufficient “in the end”. No matter what presents itself to us, we do know beyond a shadow of a doubt that all hate and meanness comes ONLY from Satan and when we give in to it which is so very, very easy, we are pleasing him. When we keep striving to lay our sorrows at the foot of the cross for deliverance, it is the Lord who reigns in our lives. It is never ever easy to do and it can be a lifetime of yielding but it is the only way to survive.
How fitting this study is for me today. This morning I was sharing with a co-worker how much anger I have towards a man who lives with my step-daughter. He has taken her from an independant, self-assured, strong, caring, loving woman to a whining, weak, insecure, invalid. I don’t know my step-daughter anymore and I carry such animosity(polite term) towards this individual. In my mind, I want to do him harm. How can I fnd love in my heart for someone who has harmed my (step)child? God help me to find the strength to love. I have none for this person.
thank you marge
Sharon, sometimes we need to step back and not “try” so hard. When we are “trying” it can mean we are giving it all we have in ourselves instead of reaching outward and upward and letting Jesus have all the authority in our lives to be the One to make things happen for us. “Commit thy works unto the Lord and thy thoughts shall be established.” (Prov. 16:3). Nothing comes easy Sharon, because Satan is constantly alive and well and waiting for every opportunity to sink us. Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world!!!!!!!! Praise God. Marge
there is one person i really need to show more love to and i am trying so hard with Gods help to do that
Hi Emelina. My! You have been hit with a hard one. It takes the love of our Lord and we know that our Heavenly Father has suffered greatly when He had to give His Son on the cross. So He understand EVERYTHING that happens to you. Keeping close to Him and finding a Christian counselor will help greatly. It is something that you cannot go alone. Remember Psa. 34:18: “The Lord is close to the broken hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. May He bless you Emelina. Marge
This message hit right at home for me, I have been having such a hard time loving some one that has cause such great pain in my life. A few months ago my husband had an affair and the women ended up getting pregnet. How do you show some one love that has done such a thing? But I know that God will bring me forth in this situation and he will show me how to handle whats going in my life…Thank you Lord for your on going wisdom..
I have spent way too much time feeling all kinds of negative emotions because someone was unfair or cruel. I used to feel like I had to do something to make things right. But I learned what giving it to God really meant and how that changes you. Whether or not I knew the person or if was a stranger I learned to pray that His will be done. Don’t underestimate the power of prayer! It might not change anything on the outside…people will still do horrible things. But it does change you on the inside and there is this glorious peace when you come to the Lord and confess your anger. I agree with Catherine that there are some people that should be kept at arms length but they can always be fully embraced in prayer. Not just a church or when you are alone prayer can be anytime and anywhere. Even just a few moments in Wal-mart where you tell Him what is on your heart. He is there and always listening. It is truly a miracle how He can bring us peace.
Once again, a timely article. The timing was so funny. Today, I was struggling so much with feeling lonely, as a young adult (& as people are constantly transitioning out of my life). I also struggle to love my co-workers, and sometimes family members, or friends. I really needed God’s grace upon me. May God continue to provide what we need to get us through, & may we find great blessing in Him today.
This is a good devotional and I can relate to the other responders. Sometimes the difficult person could be your child. For example, I have a young adult child who is very passive is some areas of his life. He is a great student now and I am very proud of that. But he is not looking for a part-time job, which he needs to have to help with his expenses. Yes I do love him, I pray for him, but how can I keep encouraging him to get a job without sounding like a nag or unloving. I just asked God that this morning, how do I get family members to do what they are suppose to do without sounding like I am being controlling. Should I just ignore things that need to be done, do them my self, or just go about my life and not let their actions bother me. I think sometimes, it is more difficult to be always demonstrate Christian love with your own family members.
I just found this site today, and this devotional about loving difficult people was exactly what I needed to be reminded of today. Thank you.
We all have our burdens to bear and unloveable people either in our families, people we work with, or whatever the circumstances might be, however, I can only love through JESUS, He makes it doable, this is not to say that we should be doormats, not at all, we can pray for those who wish to take a different path, but we do not need to be involved with them. We must keep our eyes on the prize, this world is not our home and we know not when Jesus will come to take his bride home, therefore, we strive to be ready so that our name is written in the Lambs Book of Life.
Let us be a blessing today and represent Jesus as the light in a dark world.
Every day God is using the devotions you choose to help me make it through the day. My husband has had heart surgery and as a result, has suffered some memory loss, which he has a hard time acknowledging. This problem causes some long hard days, but a poem I have on my desk asks to “let my words and deeds be measured,by the kindness You outpoured. Let me give in selfless service, nothing less than You, Dear Lord. Selfless, that is how I try to live, even through the difficulty. Thank you so much.
Dear Candice, I too am struggling with todays message and how to love those “difficult” people in our lives. I have no solution for you but please mind your safety.
My situation is a sister-in-law who has committed fraud, stolen from my in-laws and lied continuously to support a gambling addiction. She is now living away from her parents and my family and has very limited contact with her parents. Since she left I have really had no contact with her. I have spent my energies helping my in-laws try to re-build their financial security and keep their home. How do I show my sister in-law love? She accepts no personal responsibility for her actions and holds up the banner of ” I can’t help it”. As far as I know she is not participating in ongoing counselling. HELP!
I am struggling with people I see at Wal Mart which are cursing, yelling and sometimes hitting their children. How in the world can I love them? I know that I should and I need to, but how? Sometimes I’ve stepped in, and I’ve been cursed at, and one time I thought I was going to be hit. Any suggestions would be appreciated.