More loving

I've been thinking about some things...why we sometimes make it more difficult than it has to be. A large part of it has to do with our unwillingness to surrender to God, to trust Him completely. There are people around me that keep making foolish decisions, ignore counsel, when they KNOW what is right and deliberately refuse. People insist on "settling" into what is comfortable and convenient when they KNOW much better is available. So naive...so sad. And I would posit that it is never "God's will" to be subject to church discipline, to alienate yourself from a church community, to be excited to rush into/planning to sin...

I do not presume to know or understand many things. God is in control and will hold us all to account on how we lived our lives. People can be irrational and sin is always extremely deceitful. Our hearts betray us all the time...and without God's grace and a constant "fight" against selfish sinful desires, I fear we openly sign up for Satan's service, inviting God's "spanking" more than we should.

And when you really begin to scrutinize the way you choose to live, SO MUCH is defined by what you value, and the people who are around you, shaping you...if your closest friends are passionate about Jesus and the Word and loving God's people, you'll start to be that way. On the other hand, if your closest friends prioritize gym, work, and significant other ABOVE spiritual growth...you'll do the same.

At the end of the day, if Jesus isn't at the center, if it's not going to be a spiritual connection we have with each other, then it's not really worth it. Without the Word informing us about how we are to live and relate to one another, we cannot claim to be "GOOD" for each other or that we truly "LOVE" each other because the world knows nothing about that, because only God defines what those are.

We need knowledge of God's Word to even be able to distinguish what is true and what is fraud. Love isn't about feelings...not about physical attraction...not about compatibility. Rather, it's about sacrifice, it's about putting the other above your own selfish needs, it's seeking what's God's best for that person, devotion/commitment to their ultimate good...which includes hating the sin in their life.

And if you're unable to do that for one another, and they're unable to do that for you, is that loving at all?

I pray that God will open up our eyes. First find the sin in your own life. Confess and repent. Then go and help get the sin out of your brother's/sister's life. And really, shame on you if you're the one causing them to stumble.

Live in a way so that when you have to give account, you can say for certain it was done with faithfulness, with love, and that you had their good, God's best in mind.

Grace and peace to you.