A Love Everlasting

…..9Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 11Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; 12Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; 13Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. 14Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. 15Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.16Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.17Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.18If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.20Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” - Romans 12:9-21

Not the starry eyed, butterflies in the stomach reading you were expecting is it? You see, I believe that in order to have a love everlasting you have to be willing to surrender all and love as God commands us to love.

Ephesians 1:4-6 reads, “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”

The scriptures say we were chosen by God. How does that make you feel? Everyone needs to feel like they belong.

Think of someone you know who is truly happy: Do they spend their time focusing on the love they receive from people, OR the love and blessings they receive from God? Again, everyone needs to feel loved and secure; however that need looks different in everyone: Some long to be accepted by many and to always be a part of the crowd while others feel perfectly content with the knowledge that they are loved and accepted by their immediate family.

Where does your security and comfort come from? In a lot of cases we desire to be loved and that love is not returned. How does that make you feel, do you still extend your love to those who don’t love you or to those whom you feel are undeserving of your love?

How do you love: In the book The Five Love Languages, Gary Chapman describes five different “love languages.” They are:

• Words of affirmation: Verbal praise and encouragement, thank yous, compliments to you and to others, special notes or tokens of thanks, verbal affirmation either to you personally or about you to others
• Quality Time: having others undivided attention, enjoy having people come over and just hang out, sharing quality activities and conversations with others, really getting inside someone’s head to know their most intimate thoughts
• Gifts: Visual tokens of love, prizes, awards
• Acts of Service: Doing for others, having others do for you
• Physical Touch: Pats on the back, hugs, friendly elbow jabs

Ask yourself—which of those best describe how you love and the love you long to receive in return. Quality Time is my love language. But the world does not revolve around me, you or any other one person’s wants or desires. So what happens when your love language and the love language of the one you love are different?

• 1 Corinthians 13:7 says love “Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” Let us take a moment and really examine what this verse is telling us:
• Beareth all things – Love enables us to assume and absorb some degree of loveless behavior by another or in some instances what may appear to be loveless simply because the other person’s actions do not measure up to our expectations

• Believeth all things – Love never loses faith in others and is willing to think the best of them in spite of past actions or current circumstances. Love allows us to look beyond past or present hurts or wrongs to see the best in others.

• Hopeth all things – Love looks forward with optimism, knowing without a doubt that God works all things out for good. Love enables us to move forward and release bitterness and anger.

• Endureth all things – Love holds on. After all is said and done, love never fails, it never ENDS.

So, no I am not talking about the butterflies in the stomach, can’t eat, and can’t sleep, romantic love. I am talking about the kind of love that can only be attained and given through a deep relationship with GOD.

~1 John 4:7 reads “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.”

Remember, God is a God of grace and each new day provides us with the opportunity to begin again. Choose God and may the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Welcome to the first day of the rest of your life!!!

To learn more about Dr. Crystal and the services she provides, visit www.drcrystal.weebly.com.