"You must love yourself before you are able to love others."
This is the ideology the world gives us.
And yes, God says: "You shall LOVE your neighbor AS YOURSELF." Yet notice that God still doesn't have us start with ourselves in order to be ENABLED to love others. (1 Corinthians 1:25) The world tells us we won't discover or truly know love until we have first learned to love ourselves.
Today, I was reminded that when we love others (and are loved by others), it is but a sample and a picture of the greater love God has toward each of us. When you start by loving others, you can discover and know that neither you nor anyone else can outlove God; and thus you will have eyes to see the love that you need that is already there for you from God.
Quit trying to protect and hoard love (and strength and money) for yourself. Let yourself be poured out for others, and God (not you) will personally see to it that you are replenished, renewed, and filled back up.
"There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty.The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself." ~ Proverbs 11:24-25
"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened;but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack—that there may be equality.As it is written, “He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.” ~2 Corinthians 8:9,13-15
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Different Things God is teaching Me
SpiritualWhen God shows His love, mercy, forgiveness, longsuffering, and grace towards you...it shouldn't stop with you. You are destined to pass it on to others and reflect faithfulness and devotion back to Him as the Divine Spouse. Cover Art by Maria Oosth...
