Thoughts

• Preaching about love is one thing; loving is another. Listening to a sermon about love is easier than showing love on a regular basis. That is why loving one another is a supernatural task. The Holy Spirit sheds abroad God’s love in our hearts (Romans 5:5). The fruit of the Spirit is love (Galatians 5:22).
• So how do we grow in our ability to show love. First we need to repent, to recognize that our love is inadequate, confess that to God, and determine to change by God’s grace. Second we need to surrender, to acquiesce to God’s command to love others. Third we need to trust, to depend on God to work in and through us. God transforms us by the renewing of our minds as we repent, surrender, and trust.
• If loving one another pleases God, and if without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6), then faith is central to our showing love. Faith without works is dead (James 2:20). So let’s choose to grow in our showing of love, depending on God to enable us to do so, for His glory.