“Love must be sincere…” Romans 12:9
Most Christians know that their highest calling, other than loving God, is to love one another (Matthew 22:36-40). The problem is that many have learned to pretend to love; perhaps even deceived themselves into thinking this pretense is genuine.
Usually people can feel the sincere love that represents Christ versus the phony love that serves self. Displaying the phony kind of love might make a person feel like a good Christian on the inside. It might even be able to fool some people looking from the outside. The thing is, God always examines the heart (Jeremiah 17:10). Even if people can’t sense the phoniness, God can!
To sincerely love, we must humble ourselves enough to ask the Holy Spirit to convict us and to show us how to love. We must examine the motives of our hearts and the thoughts in our minds. We must be honest enough to admit areas where we lack genuine love, and receptive enough to allow the Holy Spirit to put that love in us.
There are more than a few areas that I need God’s sincere love to be poured into me in order to flow freely out of me. I’ve found that the times my love is most genuine for others are times when I’m able to completely receive His unconditional (and undeserved) love for me.
Do you sincerely love God? Do you sincerely love others? Is there an area that you’re lacking? Is there someone with whom you struggle to love? Do you put on a fake smile but inwardly despise someone? Etc…
Jesus, help us love You sincerely. Help us to love others the way that You have loved us!
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