I will share about Christian books I have read or listened to.
I will be sharing about my life before and after Christ. I will include stories about my pet and other pets I have encountered.
What Does Love Look Like?
We often define love by what we value or enjoy the most. But with so many different definitions of love that are often contradictory, Jesus’ followers should desire the truth.
A true definition of love doesn’t come from culture, our own values, or from within ourselves—it comes from God, because “God is love” (1 John 4:8). So, any right understanding of love must come from God.
In fact, an entire chapter of the book of 1 Corinthians is entirely devoted to defining what love is. Take a look at a few verses:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, 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, always perseveres. Love never fails."
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV
1 Corinthians 13:6 says that love does not delight in evil. Evil is anything opposed to God or His ways. When we disobey God’s law, choose to do the wrong thing, or cause harm to someone else—that is evil.
Essentially, evil is when we fail to love God and love others.
For instance, if someone difficult doesn’t know the love of Jesus, we shouldn’t delight in that. Love should lead us toward sharing the truth about Jesus with them. Or, if someone who hurts you is suffering, we shouldn’t rejoice over their pain. Instead, we should forgive them, just as God forgave us. Love rejoices in God’s truth being told, lived, and shared.
Take some time to consider how your own definition of love is different from God’s definition. What actions or thoughts need to change for you to be more loving? Ask God to show you two or three people you can share His love with today.
Responding to God at All Times
Throughout our lives, we will all experience both suffering and joy. We'll have times of great grief and times of overflowing happiness. Sometimes, they’ll be separate seasons—but other times, these experiences come together.
In either case and in any situation, James expected Christians to come to God. If someone was suffering, prayer was the call to action. If someone was cheerful, people were to pause and praise God.
This might seem obvious, but when suffering clouds our thinking, we can sometimes forget to prioritize prayer. And when things are going well and we're feeling cheerful, it’s easy to just enjoy our season and not stop long enough to praise God for it. But every season of life is actually just an opportunity to put into practice what James wrote about…
When we are suffering, let us pray. When those around us are suffering, let us pray. When we are cheerful or happy, let us praise God. When others are happy, let us praise God with ...
