Heartache.

A few days ago a group of us were praying. Someone started to pray for the church to rise up and I suddenly felt as if I had the weight of the world on my shoulders. There was a very real weight on me that was pushing me down as I began to think of the huge calling that the church has to fulfil. In that moment God reminded me of Matthew 11:29-30

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

The weight I felt on my shoulders then changed to an ache in my heart. God was reminding me that He had taken all of my burdens upon Himself and exchanged them for His. He only has one, and that is to love. The ache in my heart was a love for the world, for my brothers and sisters, even for my enemies. It was the love that only God Himself can give.

I am constantly being reminded that, since I made Jesus Lord of my life and He paid the price for all of my sins, I only have one debt to pay, and that is the debt of love. Romans 13:8 describes it as "the continuing debt to love one another". Not only is it a debt to pay but Jesus gives one commandment... to "love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." John 13:34 Why? Because this is how the world will know us, by our love. When we love our enemies instead of seeking revenge or when we love our brother when he gets on our nerves or love the outcast when everyone else has turned away - this is when the world will stop and see that love never fails.
I've also been challenged by this because I find it can be easy to show love to a complete stranger or a distant friend by going out of my way to do something nice for them every once in a while. The real challenge is having this same attitude of love with those a little closer to home. I got a little snappy with my younger brother a few days ago and walked away feeling convicted that nothing about our conversation brought love. You see, I'm learning that there are no exceptions when it comes to loving eachother. Even in the ordinary circumstances of every day, i'm called to love. Not just when I feel like it, not just when people can see, but it is a command and a debt I have to every single person. Not in my own strength with a love that can't satisfy, but with an eternal love that nevers runs out, never fails. A love that I can only have because HE first loved me. (1 John 4:19) In the words of Joshua Scaife "To love eachother is the natural response to having received love. It is the overflow."
Therefore, if we are living by the Holy Spirit, we are doing nothing outside of love. Love isn't just a characteristic of God, God IS love. He doesn't operate outside of love, but everything He does is out of love. Let every conversation, action, attitude, everything you do, be from the basis of love. 

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails." 1 Corinthians 13:4-8