Manipulation, Not Required: Devotional About Love

So, I love a definition; see what I did there! Love is defined as an intense feeling or deep affection. Over the years, I am convinced that contrary to culture, love is a choice rather than soley a feeling.

I’ll be the first to say, that love defined is not how I feel towards every single person and situation that I encounter on a daily basis. Yet, God calls us to live a life having love in our hearts, so full that it overflows out onto others. Sounds cute, almost like a cookie cutter statement, but He actually not only calls us to live in that rhythm, but he empowers us through the Holy Spirit to walk it out. Attempting to do this in our own ability and strength often results in frustration and failure.

Earlier this week, I was in the kitchen making breakfast and I began to remember an incident that happened years ago, when I was a little girl in the third grade. I was sitting in class one day and my teacher began passing out progress reports. Do they still have those, nowadays? Anyway - eventually, she gets to me and places the paper upside down. You know when your paper is upside down, it’s not the best news. I turn it around and I see a grade that wasn’t so great. In shame and disappointment, I made up in my mind that I would hide the results from my parents. I chose to hide the report because I was ashamed; I didn’t want them to think or see me less than. Let’s stop there. The enemy is so quick to spread lies into our mind about who we are and our identity. When thoughts you have do not align with the word of God, I want you to ask yourself, “Who told me that?”

So, I chose to manipulate the situation in an attempt to “clean it up myself” by forging my mother’s signature...Let’s take a step back. Like, who did I think I was fooling in believing that I could create the exact same signature as my mother’s, let alone as a third grade child.

I remember sitting there when I got home from school that day, probably for a couple of hours just practicing trying to get her signature right. A few days later it came time for the progress reports to be turned in. I’m a horrible liar, I was probably shaking like a leaf as I turned in the paper - dead give away right there! Moments later, the teacher called me to her desk. You guys, I was so caught!

The teacher ended up contacting my parents, and I remember having a conversation, riding in the car with my father that evening. He told me he loved me. Like a good father, he listened to the reasons why I did what I did and in my embarrassment, heard me out as I shared and apologized (I’m sure I was in a puddle of tears). After listening, he taught me right from wrong and explained some of the real life consequences that could have come from my choices. That day, my dad loved me to life and guided me in truth. In the same exact way God loves us. Unconditionally.

Let’s ask ourselves, what things in our life are we forging in an effort to produce love? You are adored, so deeply and richly loved beyond measure!

He knows absolutely everything about us, yet loves us the same. Receive that. There is no need to hide. You’re fully known.

With Love,

Chalssie

John 13:34-35 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

1 John 4:10