We live this live trusting in God and having our own agenda at the same time. That usually does't work out to well because the God has the power to change our hearts and our agendas that we think we have.
Going through a passage in 1 Thessalonians this morning, I was reading about suffering, pressures and hardships we face and how to overcome those, and then a verse about love. When I am in the word and go through the passages I read it's so fun reading them and seeing which ones God wants me to use. I went through 1 Thessalonians 3 three times because new things stuck out to me every time. I was all set to write about suffering and the hardships we face until the Holy Spirit convinced me otherwise. The Holy Spirit changed the agenda that I had made.
Check out this verse:
May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. (1 Thessalonians 3:12)
Paul isn't just saying that the Lord will fill us with love, he is asking the Lord to make our love increase and overflow. There is a lot of power in that. Love itself is powerful but when you think about increasing and overflowing love there is so much power in that.
If we are full of God's love it will overflow to others. It's not enough merely to be courteous to others; we must actively and persistently show love to them. Our love should be growing continually. If your capacity to love has remained unchanged for some time, ask God to fill you again with his never-ending supply. Then look for opportunities to express his love.
That really hit me this morning. I used to think that just being nice and courteous towards others was enough, but in reality it's not. You have to continually love others. It's not just when you feel like it or when it's most convenient.
Any person has a special place in my heart and this verse was convicting to me this morning and a good reminder all in one. I haven't been feeling that overflowing love for others in a quite some time. I have felt the feeling to love others, but not the overflowing love God wants from us. This verse was exactly what I needed to hear this morning and I hope that it was encouraging to you too.
The biggest reminder though was that when my capacity to love remains unchanged, all I need to simply do is ask God to fill me again with his never-ending supply.
My prayer is that we all can ask God today, at some point, to fill us with his never-ending supply of increasing and overflowing love.
I write for one reason, and that is to encourage others, give perspective, and get people excited about their faith.
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