A Gift of Love Easily Given

What I once saw as a burden is now a gift easily given.

August 26

Sometimes we just need a little attitude adjustment. I had been thinking of things from my point of view and what I felt I needed. How I felt about it. What it cost me. What I felt I deserved. The more I thought about how I was feeling the worse I felt. The more I thought about what I felt I was missing, the harder it was to give. Several weeks ago God adjusted my thinking. He has commanded us to love Him and love others. It is love that draws us to Him. We are called to love as he loved us, unconditionally. Our love is an offering, not only to the person we are giving love to, but to God as well. When we love with the expectation of something being returned, that is not sincere love. That kind of love disappoints both you and the one you offered it to. True love never fails because it is not contingent on someone else. I am the only one who can make the decision to love or not to love. I love because He loves me. I love because the people around me are hungry for real love and acceptance. When I stopped hoping my love would do something only God’s love can, I stopped being disappointed. God has loved me so fully, how can I deny Him when he asks me to love His people. When He asks me to do for others what I want to be done for myself, even if it’s not done for me in return, how can I say no. Only then it is a sincere offering. I will do this unto the Lord. So after several weeks of loving as God has asked me to love. It no longer feels like a burden or a sacrifice, it is a blessing and a gift easily given. In some ways, nothing has changed and yet, everything has changed.