“Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins,” says 1 Peter 4:8. That was K-Love’s daily verse, and I find so much comfort in that. We all make mistakes and we all sin differently, but in God’s eyes sin is sin, and it is forgiven only with love. Jesus loves us and it’s only right that we also love each other.

Today when I was on the elliptical at the gym, Jason Gray’s “With Every Act Of Love” was playing on K-Love, and this line really tugged on my heart: “God put a million doors in the world for his love to walk through, one of those doors is you.” We were all created to serve a different purpose in God’s creation, but at the end of the day, we can all be sure that we were put on this earth to love and be loved. That’s what it’s all about.

As I’ve gotten older, I think I’ve become more fascinated with unconditional and infinite love (which is found only through the Lord) than with fairytale love. However, I’m still waiting for my fairytale love to happen, but now I know that the man God made for me won’t just give me a fairytale from the movies… He’ll give me a fairytale from the Kingdom of God because our love will be rooted in the love we each have for our Savior. I’m SO excited for that.

On Tuesdays, I do a one-on-one Bible study with Kristin Reimler (one of the leaders of my Greek girls study who is also a supporter and avid reader of my blog… Hi, Kristin!), and today we enjoyed the weather on the quad at Mizzou while we read the chapter called “Crossing Over Boundaries” in Dr. Henry Cloud’s Changes That Heal. The following passage really spoke to both of us: “If we feel responsible for other people’s displeasure, we are being controlled by others, not God… If Jesus had tried to make everyone happy, we would all be lost. If self-centered people are angry at you, it means you are learning to say no to evil. If mean people are displeased with you, it means that you are standing up to abuse. If pharisaical Christians judge you, it means that you are becoming like your Savior. If your parents don’t like the decisions that you as an adult feel God has led you to make, it means that you are growing up.”

Do yourself a favor and read that one more time. Kristin and I had to. So much truth is written there, and I think we’ve all struggled with pleasing others over ourselves a time or two in our lives. I know I have. You shouldn’t have to compromise who you are for anyone.

Though we should not live our lives to please others, Dr. Cloud does state that we should be considerate of the feelings of others, and I think that’s where love comes in.

If you do everything out of love you are living like Christ lived, so even when it’s hard to say no or stand up for yourself, the love you bring into that situation will get you through it. 

Love will set you free.