Steadfast part 4
The only thing that never changes is that everything changes. Except for one thing. God's love never changes. Now, when I say that I mean it never changes from yes to no. It is always there. Never ending. Unconditional. But it CAN change what it looks like. It has to. Because people express love in different days, and people receive love in different ways. The five languages of love, right? So in an ever changing world God's love WILL shift in order to fit every person in every situation. If we will let it. If we are open to it. Proverbs 4:23 says, "Keep thy heart wtih all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." That, friends, is how we let the light of love shine in every situation. We keep our heart... by keeping it open. The Amplified Bible renders it like this, "Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life." Think about that. If the springs of life flow out of it, then we can't keep it by keeping it closed. If it's closed... nothing can come in or out. We don't guard our heart by shutting it down. We guard our heart by opening it up! Letting love--in whatever shape or form it takes--in and out. Breathing love in and out. Being totally consumed with God's love for us. Both in receiving it and releasing it. Every breath we take and every move we make. Motivated by love. Done in, and through, and for love. Doing it because of love! Being steadfast in love (because God's love is steadfast in us) doesn't mean any one particular thing. It means doing for other what THEY need. Seeing a need and meeting that need. Looking past yourself--knowing that you have what you need--and giving others what THEY need. Loving people in the way they need to be loved. Giving what you've got because A. You know you've got it. And B. You know that they need it. It's that simple. See a need and meet it. It won't always look one certain way. And, honestly, every time you love... it won't always go the way you think it will. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it anyway. Love is about giving everything you have and everything you are without worrying about how it is received. As Paul wrote, "Even though it seems like the more I love the less I am loved." You're not loving in order to get anything. Not doing it for the applause. Not giving in order to receive. You're loving because you have love to give. Because God loves you. Receiving from HIM and releasing what you have received from Him. Giving what you've got. Giving what God has given you. Paying it forward. Being steadfast in love... by loving in lots of dfferent ways. Making a connection with people so you will know HOW to love them in the way that THEY need to be loved. Building relationships with people. Being there for people. Not demanding your own way, but putting others first. A life of service is a life worth living. Because a life of service is a life of love. To live is to love and to love is to live. So don't think you have to do things any one certain way. Let the situation be what it is... plus love. Inject love into every situation. That's how to be steadfast. Always let the love that's inside... come out!