1Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient and kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails.
Psalm 62:5
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.
Proverbs 16:3
Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.
Hebrews 1:3
The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
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Love You To Love Others
3.) Pray to A Personal God:
Remember the Creator of the heavens and the earth loves you so deeply that he longs to have a relationship with you. That is what He created you for. He wants to talk to you. He wants to comfort you. He wants to restore you. I have found that spending time with Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit I become God focused.
I ask God to lead me in my day. Even when I wake up in the middle of the night I believe God is calling me to spend time with him. Sometimes I just lay there talking to him and other times I go around my house to pray for my family. The most important thing we can do for our family is pray. When we ask specifically, surrendering to God's will, we see him at work in our lives, which builds our relationship with him and strengthens our faith.
4.) Read God’s Word: 5.) Be Honest: 6.) Attitude of Gratitude: 8.) Introvert or Extrovert: 9.) Spiritual Gifts: 10.) Take Care of Your Temple:
God’s Word is powerful and personal. He speaks to us through the Bible. Ask him to guide you in his word, to speak to you, and reveal himself to you.
Nine years ago my son Connor had leukemia at five years old. On Christmas day when I prayed for God to heal my son and guide me in his Word I opened my Bible to John chapter 4 verses 43-53. I began to read the story about the royal official who asks Jesus to come heal his son who is sick. I had just asked Jesus to heal my son. I read on to discover that Jesus said, you may go your son will live. I knew Jesus was talking to me.
God encouraged me through his Word. He gave me peace and comfort. I knew He would heal my son. We left the hospital thirteen days later, earlier than any child had left after a transplant. Connor spent the remainder of his one hundred days of isolation at home with our family. God wants to speak to you through His Word.
Love rejoices with the truth. I was taught to let everything fall off my shoulder. I kept everything inside. My mode of operation was to say one thing, but mean another. In other words, I was dishonest and a liar. I had to learn to be honest in my relationships, to let my yes be yes and my no be no, as Jesus taught in John chapter 12.
Sometimes we think that saying something to someone will hurt their feelings. When we fail to tell the truth, by not saying anything, we do not allow for the person to understand the impact of their negative behavior. We prevent them from changing. Tell the truth in love and you will be loving yourself and others.
Stop the pity party. God has blessed you. Whatever struggle you may have you are still blessed. Make a list of all the things you appreciate in your life: people, job, food, clothing, roof over your head, the trees, the sunset, a warm cup of coffee.
Even in our most difficult relationships we can make a list of the things we like about that person. What has God done for you or brought you through. Be thankful.
Often times we need to get the focus off ourselves, off our problems, and onto helping others less fortunate. We must stop the pity party.
Your past struggles enable you to comfort and encourage others. God says in 2Corinthians 1:3-5 that we have a God of comfort and compassion that gives us comfort in our struggles so that we can give others comfort in their struggles.
Look up out of the pit if you are having a pity party. Jesus is waiting to take your hand and deliver you out of your pit. Stop being self focused and start helping others. I once heard, if you are unhappy with your lot in life, build a service station. Have a grateful heart and you will begin to feel more loving.
7.) Know Your Love Language:
God has created each of us in a special way to feel loved. The five love languages are physical touch, quality time, affirmation, gifts, and acts of service. Read, The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman to help you discover your love language, your husband’s love language, and your child’s love language. For a quick overview click here.
When you know how you feel most loved you can communicate that to the people in your life. Gary Chapman describes our love tank being on empty or full. If our love tank is on empty it’s hard to love those around us. Find out how people in your life feel loved so you can love others, which can restore your relationships.
God has wired you to get your energy from being alone or being with people. I’m an extrovert, so I get my energy from being around people. An introvert can be very social, but she’s energized by time alone. Both are equally good.
I know that being with people is a way for me to love myself which rejuvenates me to be a better mom to my children and wife to my husband. When my children were young I made a point of getting together with other moms at the park so my kids could play and I could be energized. Love yourself by spending time with others or time alone.
You have been created special. When we invite Christ into our heart God gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit along with several spiritual gifts to glorify Him and to serve others. When we share our gifts He blesses us with a resurrection power, energy and joy.
If you told me eleven years ago, before I became a Christian, that I would be telling people about Jesus I would have called you crazy. God gave me the gift of evangelism, faith, and encouragement when I invited Jesus into my heart.
Discover your spiritual gifts right now by taking a questionnaire called The Spiritual Gifts Test. Some of these gifts include hospitality, helps, mercy, creativity, administration, faith, healing and teaching. By using your gifts you will love yourself and others.
When you invite Jesus into your life you are a temple of the Holy Spirit. We are told in the Bible to take care of our body, our temple of the living God.
Are you a morning person or a night person? One of the obvious ways we can love ourselves is to get enough sleep. Are you grumpy when sleep deprived? I sure am! How can we love others if we have no energy?
Take a bath at bedtime to get a good night sleep. Eat proper foods. Exercise by going on a walk. When you care for yourself you feel nurtured, which will allow you not to resent those around you, but to love them.
You are a vessel God wants to use for His glory. God has created you special and unique with a purpose.
God's Word says to love the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and then to love others as yourself. We must love ourselves not selfishly, but to be rejuvenated to love others with the love of Jesus poured out through the Holy Spirit in us.
