Day 19: Love is impossible - "Let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God." - 1 John 4:7
It's hard for me to imagine that people who do not know God are not capable of unconditional love. Can you believe that before I was saved, I didn't really know unconditional love? Wow - I just thought I loved Matt...then I was saved. God shows that type of love through us. According to the Bible, God's true word, if you are not right with God, you cannot unconditionally love someone. You can't give what you don't have. So, if you are not saved by the grace of God, please know that you will ONLY be saved if you ask Him to enter your heart. All you have to do is ask and confess of your sins. "If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation" (Romans 10:9-10). I AM SAVED. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that when I die, I will meet Jesus face to face IN HEAVEN...my eternal home. Because of this, I can love unconditionally. I'm learning every day how to do that.
Day 19 Dare: Look back over the dares from previous days. Were there some that seemed impossible to you? Have you realized your need for God to change your heart and to give you the ability to love? Ask Him to show you where you stand with Him, and ask for the strength and grace to settle your eternal destination.
There were definitely some dares that I read and thought that I would never accomplish. For instance: Day 1 - No negative comments? Whew. I read that and thought to myself that I might as well give up now. Me? Not a single negative word to Matt? It seems as if I always said negative things to him...certainly not meaning to hurt him, but I think just out of habit. Once I made a conscious effort to stop saying negative things to him, it really lifted a burden from me. How about Day 5? Ask your spouse to tell you three things about you that make him irritated. Wow - I lucked up on that one. It was Valentine's Day, so we were already being sentimental and sappy. It was simple to bring that up in conversation...especially since he had already noticed how I hadn't been negative at all. I have started to realize that I need God more than ever and I've been so thirsty for Him. I have enjoyed this Love Dare so far, not only because of the impact it has had on me and Matt, but also the fact that it has brought me closer to God and has dared me to love Him more as well.
Lord, I know I'm going to Heaven when I die. Thank You for that. Thank You for giving Your son, Jesus Christ to die for me so that I can be saved and know true, unconditional, never-ending love. Amen.
I think this is great glimpse of what we gain when we acknowledge God and surrender to Him. I feel like regardless of what happens in my life, I trust God and feel comforted knowing that He is in control. When you put God in control of your life and in control of your relationship, He will not fail you.
ReplyDeleteI also feel like in a relationship, there is a fine line between taking things for granted and believing in eachother. There should be a constant renewal to eachother even if it is merely only verbalizing your worth to one another.