“For love comes from God…”
What or who is our source of feeling loved?
There are so many options in this world to gain the approval we seek, feel like we belong, and on which to base our identity. Although some of these options seem like great solutions, sooner or later, they will fall short and leave us searching for another place to find validation and feel loved.
Family was God’s design to give us a place to belong, safely discover who we are, and be loved. But the brokenness in our world leaves our family system imperfect, even within the best of families.
Where are we to look for our source of love?
“7 …love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God… 8 God is love. 9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” (1 John 4:7b, 9-10, NLT)
Like rivers run deep within the earth, supplying life-giving water, God’s love is an ever-flowing source that sustains us. Verse seven tells us love comes from God, and verse eight says, “God is love.”
God is the only Source of love that will sustain us. While we may know this truth, we often turn to other sources to fill our need to be loved, validated, and approved.
To avoid the trap of seeking fulfillment from sources that will ultimately leave us empty, we must focus on expanding our understanding of God.
Know Your Source
Study the names and characteristics of God.
How often do we dwell on the God who knew from the beginning we would turn from Him, and who created a way to restore our relationship with Him? (Genesis 3:15, 2 Corinthians 5:21) Do we think daily about a God who is our Defender and Deliverer? (Psalm 27) Who hears and answers our prayers? (Mark 11:22-24) Do we remember to look behind us to see God’s goodness and unfailing love running after us? (Psalm 23:6, Luke 15:11-32)
Study the names and characteristics of Jesus.
How often do we stop and think about our sinfulness, imperfection, and inability to heal ourselves and how Jesus was willing to leave the comforts of heaven so that we would be forgiven, to be made blameless, and whole? (2 Corinthians 5:21, John 15:13) Do we remember that we have an empathetic High Priest who gets us and intercedes for us? (Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25) Have we taken time to ponder that we belong equally with the other children of God in the middle because Jesus is the first and the last? (Revelation 1:8)
Study the names and characteristics of the Holy Spirit.
Do we remember that we walk around with the power of the resurrected Christ inside of us who empowers us to live through Christ? (John 11:25-26) Do we ask the Spirit to give us wisdom for our day and to guide us as we go? (John 16:13, James 1:5, Psalm 25:4) Do we call on our Advocate, Helper, and Comforter? (John 14:26)
We could spend the rest of our lives growing in our knowledge of the Source of our Love and fail to digest the full breadth of His love for us. Yet, we must try.
As we grow more in the believing knowledge of who God is, we will be transformed into lives that live loved.
“May you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” In Jesus’ name, so be it. (Ephesians 3:18-19, NLT)
Meditate: I am loved.
Reflect: What or who is your source of love? Have you been deceived in any way to go after other sources? How has the enemy tried to taint your view of God? What characteristic of God do you think best exemplifies His love for you? How can you grow more in your knowledge of who God is?
Deeper: 1 John 4: 1-10, Luke 15: 11-32, Psalm 23
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(Bible References: NLT – New Living Translation)
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