A life of love

Love is love. It is supposed and designed by God to cover a multitude of sins. It was designed to be long-suffering too. It was designed to pause, not react quickly and vindictively. Love was designed by God to see the good even in the worst of situations.

Love is a gem; it was designed on the ultimate template – God’s love. As a believer this is the love we must have and exude. I am well aware that God’s love challenges us to love. It is a challenging type of love.

Why?

This type of love always asks for nothing in return. It is not self-seeking for anything. If we can have a lifestyle of God’s love, then we will not be self-seeking either. We will be able to love our spouses in the good times when there is money, and in the dry times, when there is barely enough to go round. The problem in many Christian homes stems from the inability to share in the pain or suffering. We usually enjoy sharing in the highs and the plenty. And we find it so difficult to share in the little. This is what Elijah called the widow to do in 1 Kings 17 when he was hungry and she was equally hungry. There had been a famine in the land, and remember that the woman was a widow with a son. She was hardly the person to be chosen to begin to show ‘unpaid love’. Yet that was what was required of her. She tried to resist showing this love. She said that what she had was not enough for her, and so she could not begin sharing what was already scarce. Elijah had to remind her of this peculiar love that expects nothing in return but for God to move. This type of love should be the primary love in our lives. It should be our most prevalent lifestyle. It should be between us and our family members, such that the desire to always establish our will over the other such that strive and bitterness take root is never allowed.

I believe our homes and relationships would be in a stronger place if we show and indeed have God’s type of love. This love being fulfilled in our homes, can then be transposed into other relationships. We become the exact image and likeness of our great God.

A home that learns to share despite the situation will truly be happier and stronger. Such a family is stronger to face the enemy in battle. All his tricks are nullified when we choose to live God’s type of love.

Linda Faith

Linda faith is the editor of Jewels Magazine. She co-pastors along with her husband Revival Worship Church, Tampa. She is a prolific writer and powerful speaker, inspiring many women to be all God has called them to be. She is the founder of Joy Women’s conference which reaches out to empower, inspire and motivate women in their faith walk.