Love

Love is a word that can hold so much hope and so much pain.

Our perception of love impacts our thoughts, feelings, and actions. When we are confident we are loved, our lives reflect courage, security, happiness, kindness, generosity, positivity, and freedom, just to name a few. Feeling unloved, however, makes us respond differently -- quick to anger, bitter, withdrawn, insecure, hopeless, belittling, negative, and stingy. 

Are you feeling loved or unloved? God has been helping me take a closer look at my heart and life. I want my life to reflect someone who not only is confident she is loved, but can confidently love others. Yet, at times I find I’m not. I’m not a person who is naturally willing to risk, love the unlovable, and trust God through faith. To live like this, my understanding of the incomprehensible love of God needs to grow. 

Paul wrote in Ephesians 3:17-21 that our thoughts and actions will be a direct result of where we are rooted and grounded. I want my life to reflect a strong faith in Christ. But I cannot live that way if I don’t first root myself in a better understanding of the height, depth, length and width of God’s incomprehensible love. Paul’s description of God’s love makes me think of the ocean. It’s too great for me to fully comprehend. The greatest difference is, when we are willing to drown in God’s love, we will receive more life. Too often, I want to only dip my toe into His love, because love involves risk. It requires s trust, vulnerability, and sacrifice. I often prefer to stay in my comfort zone. I want my terms and my way, with security and guarantees. But the giving and receiving of love doesn’t come without risk, trust, and vulnerability. The difference is, God is trustworthy. He’s displayed His love in the ultimate sacrifice of His Son. 

Will you and I accept His love? Will we allow ourselves to trust in it? Will we take the risk of loving and walking in faith? More importantly, will we be vulnerable enough to tell God what’s on our hearts? This is my prayer today and I hope you will pray it, too: 

God, I want to grow in my understanding of Your immeasurable love. Will You help me when I’m scared You’ll be like people and let me down or hurt me? And will You remind me of Your unfailing love so that I might feel secure enough in You to be able to step out in faith? Only through first knowing Your love for me, can I love the challenging. And most of all, thank You for being patient with me, when I lose my focus and forget Your love. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

—Betsy is a Co-Founder and Director of Abundant Life Ranch. Betsy and Doug, have been married 20 years and have a thriving and growing marriage, as a result of God’s restoration.  Betsy loves learning about life, people, and God, and sharing what she and her family have been blessed with: horses, hospitality, and a rich full life through Jesus’ transformation. It is her desire to help others develop hope in the faithfulness of God.