How Love Can Change Our World
I’m continually struck by how challenging life is. Relationships are so hard. Health can be debilitating. Politics are exhausting and ridiculous. And loud voices in religious circles seem to shout how we should all be doing things their way. As if there is only one way to be a Christian.
It’s exhausting. And there is a better way. A way I believe can change the world.
It’s the way of love. Which, I’m finding out on social media, it’s not good enough for some people.
A friend on Facebook commented: “God loves, loves, loves…yes. But then what? We may feel/see Him in nature, arts, each other but then what? Lots of love…so much love from Him but then what? We can love someone into a life here and eternity without Him if that’s all we say. “He loves you. He loves you.” Amazing but then what?”
I think I understand where she was coming from, as I lived in that place most of my life. That place where it’s super important to get people to say the magic words that will secure their place in an eternal paradise and then have them dig into the disciplines that will transform their bodies and souls. These are good things, yes. But I’m convinced any words of commitment to Jesus and/or God must come out of an understanding of what it means to be loved so completely, and then how to live giving away that same love to everyone. Our lives become a response to being loved.
In case you’ve missed the last few posts (check them out on the site!), I’m on a mission of love…because I believe it has the power to change the world. At least, it has the power to change MY world. I’m so grateful for how it has. And I’m convinced it can change your world, too.
Just below, I offer three ways I believe love will change your world…
How has love changed your world? I’d love for you you to share your experience and hope with our community!
How Love Will Change Your World
Your Life Becomes Part of a Larger Story
Understanding God’s unbelievable, unconditional, and unfathomable love helps you see your life as part of a bigger story that’s being written. Not only are YOU loved beyond your wildest imagination, but as you understand God’s love more deeply, you start seeing more clearly God’s love for ALL people, not just the good guys on your team. You’ll also discover how this life is not just about you—what you might feel, accomplish, or acquire.
Our lives are primarily selfish—not that that’s completely horrible, it helps us in a lot of ways. But we can certainly get our eyes fixated on ourselves…and miss out on all the beauty surrounding us and all the needs we can help meet for others.
You Will Start To Like Yourself More
I believe that understanding God’s love helps us to love ourselves. Many of the evil things that happen in this world are caused by people who don’t like themselves very much. Heck, many of the icky things I do come out of a place of not liking myself very much, and believing that something outside of me, an accomplishment or a relationship, will help me finally like myself. This doesn’t work for very long.
God’s love is an anchor. You are loved. And if no one else ever says this to you, I give you permission to love yourself…to actually like the person God created you to be. Living out of that belovedness will change the world around you, I promise.
Your Love For Others Will Increase
It’s amazing how life changes for the better when we decide to love other people more and more. My love for others can’t have any expectations or else it falls flat. I’ve mostly used loving other people as a way to get people to love me back (which works sometimes!), but mostly my own self-disgust would rear its head in disappointment and resentment when I didn’t get what I wanted from the other people. Uggh.
To love others unconditionally, I have to believe that I am loved unconditionally. To see the beauty and value in other people, I have to first see worth and value in myself. God is extending that to you right now. You and everyone else on the planet.
Loving yourself might sound weird or selfish, like a luxury you’ve never been afforded. To me, this is a journey into wholeness…seeing God as pure love…and seeing myself as purely loved..and then shouting that love to others (using words only when necessary!). A journey into wholeness is a journey into holiness…basically the same word. The great love of God, the great holiness of God, is displayed in relationship with the son and the Holy Spirit—the Christian concept of the Trinity. We are invited to join this grand love party.
If you do, your world will change for the better in ways you never dreamed. I can’t wait to hear how it does.
Did you catch the song I just released last week? It’s called “You Love Me!” and you can stream or download it wherever you listen to music, places like Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, YouTube, etc. Or take a listen and a look at the brand new animated lyric video right here! I hope you’re inspired and continually reminded of how much God loves you!