Walk in Love

       Loving someone who is beaten down by negativity, anxieties, and jealousy is really hard. It can be exhausting to pour into them over and over. To everyday try to love and encourage them, especially if it feels like they are fighting you every step of the way. That's something I have had to deal with more than once in my personal life and here on Google. But I am grateful that I have had this experience, because now I can understand what it must be like for God to continually minister to our hearts and be rejected. This experience has made me all the more appreciative of God's grace, and unfailing love for His children.
       I didn't see it this way at first though, to be honest when I originally started trying to help and encourage the first person struggling with these issues I would get short, angry and frustrated with them after a while. I would sometimes think things like 'why should I continue to build them up, when all they do is tear themselves back down again?' 'why should I make an effort to love someone who doesn't want love?' 'why should I continue to care, if really they just want to stay in that negative place?' With these thoughts in mind, my efforts to show love were stalled, and my actions toward them was consistent with that. Truthfully, I used these thoughts as excuses to not be loving towards them because it was hard, and I reacted on my frustrations instead because it was easier. But this didn't help the situation, it only hurt the relationship we had.
       Eventually God changed my heart on this, He showed me that I was relying too much on myself to help this person and not enough on Him. He showed me that this person stubbornly clinging to their pain was no different than myself and what I had once done when the Lord had started ministering to my heart and calling me out of rebellion. He reminded me of the love He showed me then when I didn't want it, deserve it, or see it. As I sat thinking of all the ways He loved me when I was unlovable I realized I needed to put aside my frustration and love this person like Yeshua loved me. I needed to love them right where they were and stop trying to change them. Even if they weren't ready to receive the Word, I needed to love them and allow that consistency of love lead them back to God. This has led to big changes in myself and the first person I tried to help, and has strengthened our relationship.
        Since I have decided to walk in love with this person regardless of whether they are in a negative or positive mind set I have seen big changes in their character. As I pray for them and allow God to work on their heart without my interference I can see how God is changing and softening their heart, they are now seeking out answers about the Lord and faith. They are now ready to receive the Word and interested. As I love and encourage them where they are without making demands I can see how the negativity is falling away. As I simply love and encourage them as the Father has done with me, following in His example, I have discovered that love is the greatest strength and ministry tool we have.
       Jesus said in John 13:34-35; '34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” ' God Himself is love (1 John 4:16), and when we walk in love with others, especially those that are hard to love, we are abiding in Him and allowing the light of Christ to shine in dark places. This is what sets us apart and truly attracts people to us, it is not fancy churches or big screen projectors, but the love and compassion that comes from the truly surrendered heart. It is the love displayed on the cross for all the world to see that truly changes people, the love of our God for us and it is in that way we are to walk, not so we can save people and change lives, but so that He can through us. Be blessed brothers and sisters, and show love in all you do.

John 15:9-17
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other

1 John 4:7-12
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

Romans 8:37-39   
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.