The Secret to Loving Like Jesus – Part 1

If you are like me, learning to love like Jesus is your goal and greatest challenge.  Yet so often I feel that I fall terribly short.  While I know that with God all things are possible, this type of love often seems beyond my human capabilities.

Here is what the Lord said to me on this all-important subject:

“Let’s talk about love, My child. To freely give My love you must first freely receive My love. This is a basic Kingdom principle: freely receive, freely give. The more you receive, the more you have to give. But it is often hard for many to really receive My love, so their love account is often low, and sometimes even depleted. It is hard to love when you feel unloved or when you feel unlovely. So the key to loving is receiving My love. Why is this hard for so many?”

The Lord then went on to explain some of the barriers to receiving His love and how to overcome them.  First He showed me how my feelings about myself often get in the way.

Our feelings can hinder or block our ability to receive God’s love

“My love is freely and abundantly given, but often not received. When your heart says you are not worthy of My love, you reject it even when it’s there for you. However, this is due to lies. For your worthiness is never an issue for Me!

I love you because who you are – My child. It is not what you do, what your history or story is that makes you worthy. You are valuable because you are Mine. I created you, I formed you–so you are just what I desire you to be.

Things you have done may mar this, but I see the “real you.” You see your imperfections, but I see your heart. You are Mine; your worthiness comes from this, and so it is easy for Me to love you.

What you have done in your life often makes you feel disqualified and unloved. It’s true that unrepented sin separates us. However, I have paid the price already for all of your sins. Furthermore, though you may have sinned, My love is still there. For sin is an act, but who you are is what I see. Even in your sin I love you. I want you to be free from sin so that it will not encumber you. Sin blocks you, not Me.

You are still–and always will be–My child. So your sin doesn’t stop My love for you. Only your belief that it does prevents you from receiving My love.

You can overcome negative feelings by believing the truth. You are in no way unworthy to receive My love! Scripture reveals My heart of love – for I love the entire world! No matter how evil or lost someone is, I still love them all. My Father sent Me to demonstrate the magnificent, limitless depth of our love. My death, the shed blood, is proof of My everlasting love. So how you feel, what you believe about yourself and your value to Me, makes no difference to Me. I love you! So lay aside these lies and believe that I love you for who you are. You are Mine and I love you.”

We may understand this intellectually. But how do you get the truth about God’s amazing unconditional love into your heart and get it to stick?  God wants us to learn how to fully experience His love so that it becomes a reality for us each day.  This will be the topic of my next blog.

Please let me know if this entry has encouraged you or brought up any questions.