If I’m being totally honest with you, Sunday’s message was convicting on many levels — I can see why Pastor Jason took his time with this message, because this message took some time to work on my heart!
I was struck with the reality that no matter how much it looks like “love” on the surface, often times my love for others is superficial and something I tend to force to be a better Christian — when in reality, I am simply putting on a fake front for human applause.
The idea that struck me specifically this past Sunday was the concept of “pure love.”
A love that isn’t motivated by control or fear or manipulation. So often, I think I can approach situations with a “win-win” mentality — I do something for you, you do something for me. It’s a win-win, right?!
But that is not how Christ calls us to love.
The kind of love we find in scripture is sacrificial, selfless, and an act of laying down our lives for one another.
I think in a way it is easy to love people in our lives that are simply easy to love. They remember your favorite things, they check on you when you’re sad, they never forget a birthday, they come up and give you a hug when you need it most. Those kind of friends seem to take no effort to love. You just can’t help but pour out love to them, because they so freely give it to you.
But what about the “difficult ones?” I’m sure you know who I’m talking about…the people in our lives that require so much sacrifice just to get to the base level of love. The ones that push all of our buttons, or make us feel so weary and defeated. Or the ones that withdraw, hit you where it hurts, and then expect things from you that you simply can’t give.
How do we love people like that?
It occurred to me on Sunday that there are some people that I just don’t know how to love.
The act of loving them, and the way I should love them, goes far beyond my human ability. It has to come from the Lord.
I was brought back to this memory of a time where I was confronted with a close friend who had betrayed me years before. God was slowly, over the years, working on my heart to forgive and let this go. Then came the day where I would have to see this person face to face. I prayed, “Lord, this is beyond my ability right now. You have to show up.”
When I saw this person, God filled me with compassion. He even gave me a vision of them as a small child, experiencing pain. Then…He did something miraculous! It was as if He took over my body as I reached out to give this person a hug.
Did I ever think it was possible to hug them? No. But God showed up that day, like He always does.
I was living in a real-time moment of 2 Corinthians 5:14 where the New Living Translation says, “Either way, Christ’s love controls us…”
When we walk by the Spirit, His love controls us.
When His love takes over, we do something completely unexpected. We go beyond our human ability. It transcends into His ability…not ours.
So I’m thinking of you, dear reader, as you face your own giants. Your own “difficult” and hard-to-love people that come across your path. Will you let His love control you? Will you step into the Spirit and do something incredible? Believe that He will show up. Believe that if you commit this to Him, the love will pour out!
I was struck with the reality that no matter how much it looks like “love” on the surface, often times my love for others is superficial and something I tend to force to be a better Christian — when in reality, I am simply putting on a fake front for human applause.
The idea that struck me specifically this past Sunday was the concept of “pure love.”
A love that isn’t motivated by control or fear or manipulation. So often, I think I can approach situations with a “win-win” mentality — I do something for you, you do something for me. It’s a win-win, right?!
But that is not how Christ calls us to love.
The kind of love we find in scripture is sacrificial, selfless, and an act of laying down our lives for one another.
I think in a way it is easy to love people in our lives that are simply easy to love. They remember your favorite things, they check on you when you’re sad, they never forget a birthday, they come up and give you a hug when you need it most. Those kind of friends seem to take no effort to love. You just can’t help but pour out love to them, because they so freely give it to you.
But what about the “difficult ones?” I’m sure you know who I’m talking about…the people in our lives that require so much sacrifice just to get to the base level of love. The ones that push all of our buttons, or make us feel so weary and defeated. Or the ones that withdraw, hit you where it hurts, and then expect things from you that you simply can’t give.
How do we love people like that?
It occurred to me on Sunday that there are some people that I just don’t know how to love.
The act of loving them, and the way I should love them, goes far beyond my human ability. It has to come from the Lord.
I was brought back to this memory of a time where I was confronted with a close friend who had betrayed me years before. God was slowly, over the years, working on my heart to forgive and let this go. Then came the day where I would have to see this person face to face. I prayed, “Lord, this is beyond my ability right now. You have to show up.”
When I saw this person, God filled me with compassion. He even gave me a vision of them as a small child, experiencing pain. Then…He did something miraculous! It was as if He took over my body as I reached out to give this person a hug.
Did I ever think it was possible to hug them? No. But God showed up that day, like He always does.
I was living in a real-time moment of 2 Corinthians 5:14 where the New Living Translation says, “Either way, Christ’s love controls us…”
When we walk by the Spirit, His love controls us.
When His love takes over, we do something completely unexpected. We go beyond our human ability. It transcends into His ability…not ours.
So I’m thinking of you, dear reader, as you face your own giants. Your own “difficult” and hard-to-love people that come across your path. Will you let His love control you? Will you step into the Spirit and do something incredible? Believe that He will show up. Believe that if you commit this to Him, the love will pour out!
Erika Pizzo
Erika is an author of various books on the topics of faith, mental health, and victory in Christ. Erika lives with her husband, daughter, son, and their fluffy poodle in sunny Southern California. Her two favorite things are a visit to the beach and a chai latte in hand.