Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 NLT
Does your love measure up to the standards in 1 Corinthians 13? I am certain that my understanding of love has never fully equaled agape love. It is also obvious that I have frequently placed boundaries on how far I was willing to extend my love to others. A zero tolerance level has led me down the path of letting go, throwing in the towel, and living by the adage: “Enough is Enough.”
So now that the “Love Chapter” of the Bible has exposed my watered-down version of love, I have to take this opportunity to grow spiritually by striving to attain agape love. I purposely chose the word, attain because of its definition: “to succeed in achieving something that one desires and has worked for.” It will take action on my part to possess agape love: Strong desire, Hard work, and Praying without ceasing!
I am certain that I will have many opportunities to learn agape love. Life has a way of presenting the challenges that are required to prove whether we stand behind our commitments.
I invite you to make the journey along with me for change. We must make a conscious effort and persevere to achieve what we really desire. Consider the pursuit of God’s definition of love an opportunity for spiritual growth; a time for total transformation of your interpretation of love–to the love that God requires.
Remember Agape love causes us to extend ourselves to those who have wronged us without ever reflecting on their wrongdoing!
Challenge for today: Make the commitment to love others by God’s standards.
Verse for today: But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Matthew 5:44 ESV
Prayer for today: Dear God, Please teach me to see and love others through spiritual eyes. My love does not measure up to what you require. I desire agape love in my life. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
Sonya Johnson Ruiz
