Loving When It's Difficult (part 2)

Romans 12:9 says we are to hold fast to what is good. Here comes the application of what we are to do! What would this look like in terms of our conversations and actions towards others?




Hold Fast 

• love (Romans 12:10) “Every relationship for a Christian is an opportunity to love another person as God has loved us.” Joshua Harris 
• edify with your words (1 Thess. 5:11) 
• encourage (1 Thess. 5:11) 
• outdo (Romans 12:10)
• contribute (Romans 12:13) 
• overcome evil with good (Romans 12:17, 21) 
• bless (Romans 12:14) 
• pursue peace (Romans 12:16, 18) 

If we don’t love, we are not living out the gospel. We demonstrate you can love God and not love others. "We cannot choose whom we will love if we claim to be Christians." (Unknown)

Some of the most powerful testimonies of love are those of Christians who have been severely persecuted in other countries, and how God gave them the power to show love to those persecuting them. In the United States, persecution is far less severe, yet we tend to make a huge deal out of someone hurting our feelings or rejecting us.

"If our goal is to bring others to Christ we must be willing, as He was, to risk rejection. People may disappoint us, misunderstand our motives, even despise and persecute us. Our Savior did not let suffering prevent Him from being used by God to bring salvation to those He loved. Love for His Father provided all the motivation that was necessary." Henry Blackaby Our love is not dependent on how others treat us or how they will respond to us, but it is solely because God has loved us first (1 John 4:19). Our love to others is a reflection of that love.

"God created us for a love relationship with Him. When you are not living your life in the overflow of God’s love for you and your love for Him, then you cannot live the Christian life as it is intended."  

Henry Blackaby