The Fading Flame of Love
Is your love growing stronger, brighter, and more visible, or is it dwindling, becoming more calculated, and less vulnerable? This is a crucial question, for the authenticity of your faith depends on the state of your love. A decline in your capacity to love is a warning sign that a stronghold of cold love is taking hold within you.
A Warning from Jesus
Jesus forewarned us of this era, saying, “Many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold” (Matthew 24:10-12). It’s essential to honestly assess our hearts: Is our love burning bright or growing cold?
The Root of Bitterness
When someone’s thoughtlessness wounds us deeply, we often respond by sharing our grievance with others instead of forgiving or addressing the issue directly. This allows the wound to fester, growing into a root of bitterness that can defile many (Hebrews 12:15). What’s growing in us is not love but bitterness, a form of unfulfilled revenge.
Stumbling Blocks Ahead
Jesus cautioned that “stumbling blocks will come” (Matthew 18:7). Even good people have bad days, and we’ll inevitably encounter obstacles on our path. Remember, people stumble over small things, not massive boulders. When we stumble, we stop walking. Have you stumbled over someone’s weakness or sin lately? Have you gotten back up and continued loving as before, or has that fall caused you to withdraw from walking in love?
Preserving the Quality of Love
To maintain the quality of your love, you must forgive those who have caused you to stumble. Depending on the situation, you may need to set boundaries, but you don’t have a reason to stop loving. Every time you refuse to forgive or fail to overlook a weakness in another, your heart hardens not only toward them but also toward God.
What Does Love Mean?
I’m not referring to “tough love” but gentle, affectionate, sensitive, open, and persistent love. God will be firm when necessary, and we will be firm when He guides us to be, but beneath our firmness must be a deep wellspring of love waiting to flow into action. When I have love for someone, I’ve predetermined that I’ll stand with them, regardless of what they’re going through. I’m committed.
The Goal: Restoring Christ’s Heart
We each need people who love us, who are committed to us despite our imperfections. The fullness of Christ will not come without Christians standing with each other in love. Our goal is to see our hearts restored to the heart of Christ, and this requires persistence. If you persevere, you’ll discover the height, depth, and breadth of Christ’s love, becoming “a body filled and flooded with God Himself” (Ephesians 3:19 AMP).
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