How to Break the Chains of Worry in Your Life
Worry and anxiety are very personal subjects. May have lived hard stories and deep struggles with worry. In this guest post, I am sharing part of my story and a few of the things I have learned through the struggle. This post will not solve or prevent your own experience with anxiety, but it is my hope and prayer that it will help.
Am I going crazy?
For the first time in my life, sanity and peace seemed like a question instead of a given.
Years ago, I battled a hyperthyroid disorder. Plunging into the chaos of a thyroid-induced storm, adrenaline flooded my system and I lived on the edge of panic.
It was an agony of slow months before my hands stopped shaking. And longer before I slept more than an hour or two at night.
Anxiety marched in with a take-all vengeance, and worry held me captive in my own home—
Anxiety wears many faces: apprehension, nervousness, worry, fear, and panic. It robs us of peace, making it hard to concentrate on simple tasks, make decisions, and stand firm in faith. Regardless of the cause, worry will become a prison if we do not learn powerful strategies to break the chains of toxic thinking.
You are Not Alone in the Struggle
When worry batters our soul, God is our source of strength. We discover the reality of God’s might in the midst of the hard things. Power to stand against fear is grounded in a present focus on God. Be still and know that He is God.
He is with us in the storm. “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you” (Isaiah 43:2 NASB). He will not forsake, even when we lack faith or strength to overcome worry.
[tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#worry #anxiety”]We may not be able to control our emotions, but we can choose how we will respond to worry.[/tweetthis] Rarely is there instant relief from the discomfort of anxiety, but feelings will eventually follow faith.
If there is a medical cause to your anxiety, be sure to talk to your doctor. Christian counseling for serious and persistent anxiety can be very helpful. Whether you face minor or major bouts of anxiety, these Biblical strategies will help you overcome the bondage of worry.
Here’s a family photo from this time in my life. Funny thing about worry and anxiety–you can appear to be okay on the outside and be a hidden wreck underneath. And though these were hard days, they were still filled with precious blessings.
Join me for the rest of this post, part of the Breaking Chains series from Katy Kauffman. Click here to continue reading for 7 Powerful Strategies to Break the Chains of Anxiety. In this very personal post, I’m sharing the ways God has helped me to handle anxiety and worry. I’d love to know what strategies have helped you in this challenging subject.
You may be interested in few other posts on this subject:
When Peace Gets Away: My Struggle with Anxiety
How I Know God Cares About Our Fears
Simple Grace to Overcome Worry
Be Still to Discover Your Strong
Why You Need to Rest in the Lord
Linking up right here because life is better in community: #RaRaLinkUp, Coffee For Your Heart, and #TellHisStory.
How to Do Battle Together by Encouraging One Another
It had been a long, hard day and by now the toll of it was beginning to show on my face. I tried to hide it but my silence said more than I was willing. I figured if I didn’t say anything, she wouldn’t notice. I was deep in the battle and worse for the wear. I wasn’t ready to talk and I certainly wouldn’t know where to start.
We Need Support
Satan loves when we walk around feeling discouraged. He knows that we need the support of our brothers and sisters in Christ to help us stay faithful. So he would do whatever it takes to see to it that we stay isolated. He’d love to have us think that we can go it alone.
The truth is there’s no such thing as a ‘lone-ranger Christian’. When troubles come we need others who will encourage us and help lift our spirits. As a matter of fact, it is the encouragement we receive from others that often empowers us to stay in the fight.
[tweetthis twitter_handles=”@spreadtheshine”]We’re all in a battle. We need each other to win![/tweetthis]
Kind Words Can Win a Battle
I think about the Israelites in Judges 20, who decided to go into battle against the Benjamites. The Israelites had 400,000 men ready to fight, compared to the 26,000 Benjamites. It should have been an easy victory. Yet, just as they entered the battle, they experienced a terrible defeat. They lost 22,000 men on the very first day!
I don’t know about you, but I might have been tempted to give up at that point and I’m sure it crossed the Israelites’ minds as well. Chances are they second-guessed God, thinking that maybe they didn’t hear him right when He told them to enter the battle. Even though they knew they were fighting for a good cause, they might have wondered if it was worth it. In the face of defeat we wouldn’t blame the Israelites if they decided to throw in the towel.
Still, regardless of what seemed like failure at first, the Israelites did not give up.
What was it that caused the Israelites to get back in the battle in spite of their loss?
They received the encouragement they needed to go on!
But the Israelites encouraged one another and again took up their positions where they had stationed themselves the first day.
Judges 20:22
We learn that the Israelites went on to, not just defeat the Benjamite army, but to wipe out their entire town (save for the 400 men who ran into hiding).
I believe that God made them victorious in large part due to the encouragement they received from their friends. They encouraged one another and found the courage and strength they needed to get back in the fight.
We’re Fighting a Hard Battle
Like the Israelites, we are in a battle. Getting through the day itself can feel like a battle. That day when I was feeling battle-weary my sister knew that I needed a listening ear. She didn’t push or insist that I deal with my problems right then and there. She simply reminded me that she was there for me.
Let’s face it, sometimes, it’s not just a day. There are times we are in a difficult season. We need all the encouragement we can get to help us through those rough patches. We can help each other overcome the darkness and move on to victory by encouraging each other.
Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.
– Plato
The Power of Encouragement
You might be wondering, ‘what’s so magical about encouragement anyway?’ It might seem like a simple thing – almost too easy. But there is a certain power that is unlocked when we encourage one another.
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
Hebrews 3:13
When we encourage each other, Satan loses his grip on us. The sin that he intended to trip us up, no longer has any power.
We Can Win the Battle Together
Consider some of these practical ways to encourage someone else today:
[tweetthis twitter_handles=”@spreadtheshine” hidden_hashtags=”#encourageoneanother”]Try one of these 5 ways to help a friend win the battle today.[/tweetthis]
Pray for your friend (and let her know that you did)
Send her an encouraging hand-written note, card, email or text
Call just to say hello and ask how she’s doing
Say a kind word. Think about what you like about her or what she’s good at and tell her.
Offer to help, maybe by watching her kids for a few hours so that she can get away for a much-needed personal retreat.
I also encourage you to look at some other examples in the Bible where one person encouraged another. Allow these biblical examples to inspire you:
Ruth and Naomi – (the book of Ruth)
David and Jonathan – (1 Samuel 20)
John the Baptist and Jesus – (John 1:1-34, John 3:22-36)
As you read, take note of how they encouraged one another and think about what you can learn from their relationships.
Encourage one another today.
We don’t have to wait until we have life all figured out to encourage someone else. Start by recognizing that you can’t win the battle alone. Then surround yourself with some battle-ready friends who will go the distance with you.
Allow the power of encouragement to break sin’s hold on your life. With the encouragement you receive, turn around and encourage someone else. Watch God’s power multiply over and over again as we fight the battles together and WIN!
Your turn:
What can you imitate from some of the biblical examples mentioned above?
Are you on active duty, doing battle with your friends?
How can you encourage someone else today?
About Marva:
Marva is a Christian, wife and mother of two school-aged kiddos. She’s lucky to live in one of the sunniest parts of the world, where most days feel like heaven on earth. For the other days, she finds comfort in a nice tall latte. You can find her on sunSPARKLEshine.com where she writes about celebrating everyday brilliance and living a life that sparkles. You can also visit her on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram. Get the latest sparkle by signing up for her newsletter Sparkle Highlights here.
Linking up here: Coffee For Your Heart, #ThreeWordWednesday, and #TellHisStory.
Inspire Your Heart to Hope + Printable Easter Poem
Be inspired by this short Easter poem to focus your heart on the power of hope. This Easter let your hope rise as you embrace the resurrection of Jesus. Today and every day, Christ in us is our hope of Glory. Enjoy the printable version of the poem to share with a friend.
Hope Rises
Resurrection life is filled with hope and peace,
mercy and endless love.
Powerful beyond what we can imagine.
The same power that raised Christ from the dead
will raise us up as well.
Hope rises.
God’s hope is deeper and reaches far beyond circumstances.
His promise holds the power to work all things together for good.
Hope is
and in Him is life and wholeness.
His hope brings life out of death,
and the power to rise out of difficult circumstances,
Hope believes.
We do not have to create our own faith.
Resurrection faith is God’s gift of grace.
God’s presence ignites hope to rise
and overcome doubt and fear.
Hope praises.
Hope is powerful
because our God is powerful.
Hope stands
in the faithfulness of God.
Hope rests
in the assurance that He is
and He will be faithful to do all that He has promised.
The burden of proof is on Him.
It lies on His shoulders, not ours.
We just need to come and believe.
Hope lives.
Hope looks forward expectantly.
Hope dwells in me.
He is already here.
Christ in me,
the hope of glory.
Colossians 1:27
Click here to download a printable version of the poem.
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More Easter Posts to Inspire Your Heart
- Easter Will Not Be Cancelled: The Unstoppable Joy of the Resurrection
- The Good in Good Friday: 17 Powerful Verses on the Resurrection Life of Christ + Printable List
- 4 Worshipful Ways to Remember the Resurrection Every Day
- Six Powerful Lessons on Love and Humility from the Last Supper
- Family Traditions Create Special Memories
- Days in Jerusalem: Pictures of the Wailing Wall and the Garden Tomb
- Pictures of Days in Jerusalem–a Recent Trip
Ginger’s Award-Winning Book Makes a Great Easter Gift
Give the gift of holy this Easter. Discover the practical power of intentional choices to trust God in the moment. This is your moment to deepen your faith and freedom in Christ. Learn more.
Overcome Three Problems of Careless Listening
Research reveals that the average person spends 45% of their day listening. Listening is the communication skill we use the most. We listen to the conversations around us and we listen to the rattle of the words in our heads. We listen, but how much do we hear?
How do we overcome problems with careless listening?
Be careful how you listen.
You can hear without listening, but you cannot listen without hearing.
“Did you hear me?”
My thoughts scramble like a herd of cats in my head, each one going a different direction. Too late, I realize I’m half-listening to those around me. Listening but not truly hearing.
I’d like to say this is a tendency of a creative temperament, but really it is just a bad habit.
Without strong convictions and a deep desire to embrace truth, we all struggle to listen well.
Be careful how you listen. Jesus often taught about the importance of hearing God’s word. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.–Luke 8:8.
In the well-known parable of the sower, Jesus teaches about four ways of listening.
How we listen matters.
Consider what the Parable of the Sower teaches us about hearing God’s truth.
Are we hearing God’s Word in a way that makes a difference?
If you aren’t familiar with the Parable of the Sower, take a moment to read Luke 8:4-18.
But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance. Luke 8:15
Good-soil listening comes from hearing with a receptive mind. Receive truth with a desire to hold it firm in your heart. Listen and believe. Remember and apply. These are the habits of a receptive heart that values God’s Word over all else. Embrace Truth and listen with patience as you wait for God’s Word to transform your thinking.
Overcome three problems of careless listening.
[tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#listeninghabits #hearingGod”]Do you have one of these problems of careless listening?[/tweetthis] I’ve struggled with every one of these at times.
Roadside Listening: hearing with a closed mind. A closed mind tramples truth with opinions and positions. When we listen with a closed mind, truth gets snatched away by disbelief or a lack of concern.
Be willing to listen to wisdom.
Don’t be over-confident you have all the answers.
Don’t make assumptions.
Rocky-Soil Listening: hearing with shallow thinking that falls prey to temptation. God’s word will not change us without strong convictions and a deep desire to embrace truth. When the hard days come, lack of roots cause the impact of truth to wither.
Practice critical thinking skills: compare, contrast, evaluate, meditate, memorize.
Know what you believe and why it’s important.
Apply Truth to your life; don’t just talk about it.
Thorny-Soil Listening:hearing with a distracted mind. These are the ones that hear but keep going their way. They listen, but distractions choke out the impact. Inventory your time and thought. How much of your time is consumed with worry, riches, or pleasures? Which one is the biggest distraction to you?
Focus your attention.
Evaluate your priorities.
Simplify your schedule.
Resist the temptation to think about this parable as an isolated lesson. Keep reading.
Let God’s truth light up your life.
“Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light. So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him.” Luke 8:16-17
Truth is seed for the soil and light for the soul.
Act on what you know and live what you believe. This is the light that shines through our thoughts, words, and actions. The light of truth reveals the dark of false beliefs, wounds, and sins tucked out of sight.
Live honest and brave by letting Christ shine truth in your hidden places.
Let the light into your hard places.
Believe God’s truth over your feelings, experiences, or opinions.
Obey God’s Word.
Share the truth with others.
This is good-soil listening and lamp-stand living.
[tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#applyGodsWord”]The more we live in the light of what we understand, the more life-changing truth we will know. [/tweetthis]
There is faith for salvation and truth for living each day. The attitudes of our minds, the habits of our attention, and the desires of our hearts impact how we live. Overcome the problems of careless listening for God’s truth to change your life.
What listening skills do you need to work on?
When You Are Desperate to Be Forgiven
She’s a woman with a past ruined with hard living and bad choices. She can’t remember the last time she could walk down the street free from the weight of shame. When was the last time life was good and hope seemed real?
When did she become desperate for forgiveness?
Hanging her head, she tries to slip by unseen. Women stand outside houses chattering about their children as the hot sun beats down. She feels even more alone.
She walks faster as the women notice her. She’d run if she could, just to avoid the pain of facing what she’s become. She is notorious, a wicked sinner—probably the worst in town. Fingers point as pleasant talk turns harsh with snide comments. Over the sound of the breeze, she can hear the condemning gossipers listing off her latest sins.
They’re not saying anything worse than she says to herself.
How can she find forgiveness to start over, when she can’t even forgive herself?
If hopeless was an ocean, she’d be drowning.
The conversation turns as someone asks, “Did you hear Simon invited the Rabbi—that Jesus—to dine at his house today?”
Her heart stops for a moment as a tiny spark of hope flickers. Could he? Would he? Forgive her?
Sometime later, Jesus reclines at the table having dinner with Simon, a respected religious leader.
Bold with desperation, this woman acts with courage born of one last hope to turn a wreck of a life around. She is nameless, known only by a label: sinner. Some might say she is grasping for the wind by daring to enter Simon’s house.
The Beauty of the Broken
Uninvited, she weeps loud and hard, as broken-hearted women mourn their dead. The pain and bitterness of knowing exactly what she is can no longer be contained in the presence of the One who heals the sick and forgives the sinner.
Tears won’t stop as she begins to wash His feet. She doesn’t dare to look up. With shaking hands, she wipes His feet with her hair. She pours out the only thing of value she has left, a small vial of perfume. It is the last bit of the life she dreamed of long ago.
“Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner’” (Luke 7:39).
Pride makes it hard to love God.
The weeping sinner stands stark against the judgmental pride of the religious man. Simon, confident in his position as a Jewish leader, looks on with disdain that follows self-importance. Worlds apart, Simon has done all the right things and this woman has thrown her life away with notorious sins.
Past and position couldn’t be farther apart between Simon and the woman, but Jesus reveals the greatest difference is the condition of their hearts.
Criticism comes easy. Simon cannot see this woman as a humble sinner, desperate for forgiveness and undone with devotion for Christ. With distorted vision, Simon sees himself as the one in the right. Telling a simple story, Jesus reveals Simon’s faults, uncovering the cracks in the façade of self-righteousness.
“‘A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?’ Simon answered and said, ‘I suppose the one whom he forgave more.’ And He said to him, ‘You have judged correctly’” (Luke 7:41-43).
In reality, they are both sinners, but the woman knows her sin and seeks forgiveness. Simon, confident in his own righteousness, has nothing but criticism for both Christ and the woman.
In this moment, the tables have turned, and Simon is the sinner.
Rather than condemning the woman, Jesus points out Simon’s lack of common courtesy. Simon neglects to welcome his guest with a kiss, a glaring oversight compared to the woman’s emotional act of devotion.
The woman washes His feet with the intimacy of raw emotion. Love and gratitude turn a servant’s chore into an act of worship.
She has no concern with what the others think of her actions. All she can see is an opportunity to show love and gratitude at the mere chance of forgiveness.
This woman knows her sin, desperately desires to be forgiven, and loves Christ deeply.
When you are desperate to be forgiven.
[tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#forgiven”]Reject the lie that what you have done cannot be forgiven.[/tweetthis]
Perhaps you feel there is no hope for real forgiveness and change. You’ve gone too far for too long, and you’re drowning in a sea of hopelessness. Maybe you’ve done things you never thought you’d do and you cannot forgive yourself. “How can God possibly forgive me for…,” is a constant thought that tortures your soul.
My Friend, be encouraged by the boldness of this nameless woman. Prayerfully put yourself in her place. Pour out your heart to Christ and believe that you will be forgiven just like this brave, broken woman weeping at the feet of Jesus.
[tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#forgiveness”]Believe Jesus has the authority to forgive every sin, including yours.[/tweetthis]
Today, choose faith over self-condemnation. Ask for forgiveness and listen to Him say to you, “Your sins have been forgiven…. Your faith has saved you; go in peace” (Luke 7:48, 50).
Won’t you share this post with anyone who needs to find peace when they are desperate to be forgiven?
Simple Inspiration to Love God with All Your Heart
Don’t make things too complicated.
Sometimes we get all theological and lofty about spiritual topics. In our efforts to understand, we complicate simple truths, making them seem difficult. Loving God with all your heart is a simple thing. It is what we were created for and when we love God we fulfill our purpose.
Love God with the heart of a child.
I remember the smell of the chunky crayon as I drew a big red heart on my paper. I am in second grade and Mrs. Pierce is my Sunday School teacher. She is nice, laughs often, and wears pointy glasses. Ruth Ann sits next to me and her heart looks better than mine, neat with all the crayon strokes going the same direction. My coloring is wild and scribbly with an energy that won’t stay in the lines.
It’s all about the heart.
“Do you know why we are drawing hearts today?” Mrs. Pierce asks. With the ease of a woman who enjoys children, she tells us the greatest thing we can do is to love God. She reads from the big Bible in her lap: “The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength‘” (Mark 12:30).
Pressing the crayon harder into the paper, I color faster as I listen. Even at seven years old, I know there was something special about these words.
“Love God with all your heart” is etched into my mind with the memory of those second grade Sunday school days.
I am still learning how to love God with all my heart. You see, loving God is the journey of a lifetime and there is always more to learn, more pictures to reveal, more depth to plumb. [tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#loveGod”]Loving God is a never ending discovery if we will keep seeking to love Him more.[/tweetthis]
Loving God with the heart of a mother.
Years later, I am no longer the child and my perspective shifts dramatically the day I become a parent.
I look down at a tiny hand, fingers curled around my index finger with a strength that surprises me. I am stunned by the sheer miracle of holding this long awaited baby in my arms for the first time. Nothing could have prepared me for the pain of the delivery or the awe of experiencing the wonder of new life. He is just minutes old and his first frantic cries have settled. Maternal love wells up strong with a weight that is a glimmer of the glory of God.
In the days that come, my husband and I admire his itty-bitty toes and the wide-eyed alert expression in his eyes. He is a wonder. “Seems like he has always been with us, ” my husband says with that I-can’t-believe-this-is-really-happening excitement of a new father.
Yes.
Simple inspiration to love God with your whole heart.
We love him fiercely, just because he is our son. This love has nothing to do abilities, personality, or looks. We didn’t have to grow into this love or warm up to it in any way. We love him simply because he is our son.
I pat his back as he sleeps on my shoulder, his cheek warm against my neck. In this moment, I begin to understand a deeper layer of the Father-love of God. Though I have known God is my Father since I was seven, now I understand in a fresh way that I am loved because I am His child.
I shake my head as I realize how many times I have struggled to believe this simple truth.
God loves me because I am His child.
My looks, personality, abilities, performance, or behavior do not earn God’s love any more than I would wait to love until my son is old enough to help with the chores or even be able to express his love for me.
How do I love God the most?
“How do I love you more than this baby in my arms, Lord?”
I know I am supposed to love God above all else, but in this moment, I’m not sure how. How do I love a God I cannot see more that the family than I interact with everyday? More than this helpless infant in my arms?
The fact that I am asking the question hints at the answer.
As my son sleeps, I write the question in my journal, ready to wrestle with it. Words scratching across the page, God brings forth a new insight through the words I write.
Let your love for your child teach you a deeper love for Me. Enjoy the gift. Learn from the gift, but always let the gift turn your heart to the One who is the Giver. Experience your love for others in the context of My love for you.
Dare to Love One Another for Your Best Relationships
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 shows us God’s way of loving–the kind of love only He can enable us to give. This kind of love is packed with power. Dare to love one another for your best relationships.
Looking at the many one another verses, we discover more details and instructions for our best relationships.
These instructions add living color to God’s desire for what we can experience in the body of Christ when we truly love one another.
These are the instructions for Christian living peppered throughout the New Testament.
The power of One-Anothering
One-anothering is a term I love to use when thinking about the many verses in Scripture that are part of God’s instructions for healthy and vibrant relationships.
What can happen when we set aside our petty differences, the things that don’t matter but divide? Power ignites when we give what we have received–the needed blessing of acceptance that is healing to the soul.
[tweetthis]The pain of rejection runs deep, but in Christ acceptance is ours to receive and to give.[/tweetthis]
Dare to be humble.
Self-importance and pride disrupt harmony.
[tweetthis hidden_hashtags=”#loveoneanother”]Too often there is too much me in the picture and not enough you.[/tweetthis]
Like white noise in the background of our lives, self-importance and pride weakens relationships, creates divisions, and steals peace. Yes this…live in harmony with one another.
We need each other.
Discouragement runs rampant in the world around us. Life can be hard and it is easy to lose heart.
On our hard days, we may lack the energy and hope to be brave enough to believe God is faithful and hope is here.
On our worst days discouragement rips at our foundations of faith. We need the love of another to come alongside with comfort and courage to lend our weary hearts.
Here’s the thing—
Instruction is given where it is needed. Implicit in the instruction is the recognition that we have issues in our relationships.
We struggle to love one another well.
Keep a smile on your face and love in your heart.
[tweetthis]Dare to love others bravely. Say to your soul, unforgiveness is not an option.[/tweetthis]
Forgive with bold faith.
Choose kindness and compassion.
Nowhere in these passages does it say that God’s best for loving others is easy. But it is WORTH IT!
Today, rely on Christ and seize this moment to love one another.
By this love
They will know
We are His disciples.
16 Ways to Love People Better
Focus on the power of love with 16 ways to love people better based on Bible verses on love to inspire your heart, especially on Valentine’s Day. As February 14 approaches, maybe you’re thinking about how to show a little extra Valentine’s-Day-Love to those special people in your life–husbands, kids, parents, and friends.
Flowers, candy, cards, and teddy bears–who doesn’t enjoy these fun ways to show love to your Valentine?
It’s the love expressed by the gift that matters.
Love holds the power to create joy, heal hearts, inspire laughter, and strengthen relationships.
We all need to know that we are loved. However, God’s Word makes it clear that loving others is a big deal.
Love is not all about me.
When our focus is on ourselves, we’re all about getting our need for love met in just the way we like it. It is the love of Christ that frees us from the “what’s-in-it-for-me” mindset in our relationships. We don’t like to admit it, but we all struggle this self-oriented thinking at least some of the time.
16 Powerful Ways to Love
The powerful love is best described in 1 Corinthians 13. Consider these 16 ways to love others better. They give us beautiful examples of ways to show love that make a difference. I’ve written these Bible verses on love as a list.
None of these ways to show love comes naturally. Patience is rarely easy and kindness is too often simply a good intention when tempers flair or words hurt. When this happens, it takes work and intention to love people better. Fortunately, we have both the example and the presence of Christ to teach us God’s way of showing love.
The word love in this passage is translated in the Greek as agape.
- This is a self-giving love without expecting anything in return.
- Agape is love that can be given to the most undeserving folks.
- Think of the meanest person you know–agape can love them.
- It is a love that carries on even when disappointed or rejected for it doesn’t love in order to get.
- This agape love is far more than a feeling for it chooses self-denial for the sake of someone else.
When my life is all about me, agape is impossible.
It is the power of Christ that frees us from the deep need that wants to love in order to get, to love for the sake of self.
Love is where the spiritual meets the practical in our busy lives.
How do we get beyond the cards and the candy, the feelings and the Word’s of Scripture to expressing agape in our thoughts, words, and actions? Choose to love in the nitty-gritty daily moments that make up your day. When the husband forgets to take out the trash, choose patience. When you are frustrated, choose kindness.
Receive this agape from Christ, and let it flow out to those around you in the choices you make. Filling up with God’s love energizes the words you say and how you spend your time. When your friend seems to have the perfect home, refuse to be envious. When love is difficult, hold on to hope.
Thought by thought, word by word, and action by action let love seep out of your conversations. Love softens your touch and brings strength to your convictions. Let love inspire the words you say and how you spend your time. Seek love in your actions and the decisions you make.
Take it one moment at a time, depending on Christ to empower you to give your very best self in loving others.
Even as I have loved you...there is only one place to find agape. Only one source for the love we crave. Receive the powerful love of Christ and choose to love one another well.
Get a Free Printable Pack of Quotes on Love
Are You Going to Believe What You’re Feelings are Telling You?
Are you going to believe what your feelings are telling you? Responders and messengers, feelings have much to tell us, but they are not always based on what is true. It’s important to evaluate the message in your emotions.
As an update to this post, you may enjoy this podcast episode on processing emotions with faith. You can also find the video of this episode at the bottom of this post.
No response.
Recently I had my last class with a group of teenagers I’ve taught for the past several years. After class teens gathered in groups, laughing and talking with friends. Really, that’s what teenagers do.
Putting my coat on, I felt the awkward absence of any recognition that I would no longer be with them.
One girl came over and gave me a hug, “I’ll miss you.” Hugging her back, I thanked her with a smile.
I walked out of the room and took a deep breath, praying, “Lord, don’t let me go there. Don’t let feelings start pushing me around.”
You see, it was easy to feel that silence means they don’t care.
A lack of appreciation or recognition feels like my teaching failed. “If you’d made an impact, they’d be sad to see you go. They’d at least say thanks.” Emotions can open the door to false accusations.
It is a slippery slope, when feelings take control.
They don’t care. My teaching wasn’t good enough, these are thoughts that gain emotional momentum. This day, I’m going to shut the door to the voices in my head.
Emotions don’t pipe down on command. They keep trying to get a word in to spoil the day. Lies expand and accelerate…And your writing isn’t effective either. No one cares what you write. You’re a failure.
So quick. Quick as a breath or the blink of an eye, and I can be on my way to an emotional mess.
Maybe you don’t struggle with this, but for me this has been a major battle of the soul.
We respond to our world through the amazing gift of our emotions. In the moment, truth can seem as close as the latest feeling barging into our thoughts.
Feelings are powerful. Convincing. Enticing.
But they are not truth.
Feelings sometimes shout and sometimes whisper, as they bully and badger, making us believe they carry truth. It all feels so real.
Feelings are responses.
Feelings are responders and messengers. They hold no power to dictate truth unless we allow them to speak false belief to our souls.
We are so tempted to respond to our merry-go-round of feelings as truth. If I feel it, it must be true.
Feelings feel true.
My kids would fall on the floor laughing at this Mom-ism that sounds so stupid…but is so true.
And we fall for it, way too often and all too easily.
When we allow feelings to be bearers of truth, feelings become beliefs.
I feel rejected–I think I am rejected–I begin to believe I am rejected. I feel discouraged–I am discouraged. I feel loved–I am loved.
The convincing power of our feelings sway our thoughts and we can believe the messages our feelings shout loud and long.
In reality, feelings just are. I feel good, I feel mad, happy, sad, hopeful, disappointed….and on and on they go.
Here’s the thing that matters.
Feelings are not true or false. They are responders and messengers.
What we feel is what we feel. Sometimes we need to give ourselves permission to feel what we feel without judging it. Without lecturing it. Without discounting or stuffing it. (I’m pretty good at that one.) But woohoo we also have a choice in what we believe!
I’m learning to recognize the dangerous slope of negative emotions. I’m learning to pray and trust God to keep me above the fray. I’m learning to hang onto to truth, again and again, until the emotions begin to settle.
So about that day…
This particular day, I was able to hold firm to truth. There are other times when I fall smack down into the muck. But this day, I was able to walk down the hall confident I have given my best.
And this I know–they appreciate the gift I’ve given. I know they value me. And I recognize they are teenagers, consumed with their world. And it’s okay.
I also know that I give my time to honor God and serve others –the responses and results are really His territory, not mine.
I can walk down the hall with a smile and let the feelings just be there until they pass. Which they do, and I am free to love without feelings dredging up thoughts that just aren’t true.
What is the message of your feelings? What is hidden beneath the emotion? This is an area that can have tremendous influence and impact on our relationships.
Discipleship of the heart.
Discipleship goes far beyond how to study the Bible, pray diligently, and share the gospel. On a very practical level, God is teaching us to live in the freedom of truth, not driven or misled by emotions. For me, this has been a practical journey I call discipleship of my heart.
You see, knowledge is just information until we can live it out in the choices we make. This is when feelings lose the power to drive truth and we are free to love others well.
What are your feelings telling you? Are they impacting your ability to love others well?
Learn more about processing your feelings in faith in Chapter 10 of Holy in the Moment.
