As a female I have always struggled with feeling like I am not loved. Whether that is from my husband, kids, family, or friends. I can honestly say I have struggled with each of those areas at one point in my life. More than that though I have struggled to love. In all of those areas once again. I struggle to love my husband when he's not "lovable." I have struggled to love my kiddos when they act up and drive me crazy. I have struggled to love family whenever things get rough. I have struggled to love my friends when I don't feel like they have fulfilled the role of a friend. None of which are biblical. I am called to love!
Honestly I think women are other women's worst critic. We're so easy to judge, ignore, and push away friends who aren't good friends to us. Once again not biblical. And I am the world's worst at this. I shut down and push away people who have offended or hurt me. Who I feel like criticize my family, the way I dress, or what I do. I talk bad about those people or have negative thoughts about them. God is continually working in my life in this way. He's showing me that I need to have GRACE and LOVE for others. I never know what others are dealing with personally. Instead of getting upset or mad I should take a second BREATHE and pray through it. What is God calling me to do? Love them through it even when it's hard, serve them regardless of what I am dealing with or going through, or just be there for them.
WOMEN STRUGGLE AT THIS! We are so selfish. We think only about our emotions and our needs and not what others could need. Isn't that the opposite of the gospel? God came to serve not to be served. He loved regardless of all we've done against him. HE IS LOVE! I want Him to change that in my life. I want to love other women and serve them. Not judge. Pray with me that the Lord can change our hearts so that we can love others regardless of race, economic status, outward appearance, etc. God wants to reveal himself through us to show the world there is HOPE.
1 John 3:11-18
For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous. Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed out death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not loved abides in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
AMEN!
