A friend of mine was struggling with something, and I was conflicted. I wanted to love, and serve, and fight with my friend, but I also was afraid. What if I wasn’t strong enough to handle it? Could I commit to being there for my friend in the way that I wanted to? Or would I burn out or get my heart broken?
I’m human, I’m sinful, I’m limited. Unfortunately, you are too.
The Bible calls us to be Christlike, and Jesus laid down his life for his friends (John 10:11). But am I strong enough to lay down my life for my friends? Are you?
In many ways, no, we really aren’t. We are human. We are fallible, and sinful, and imperfect. We cannot carry the burdens or love the way Jesus loves. We can strive to be Christlike, but we are not Christ.
And yet, “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” We may be human, but Jesus in us is not limited by our human limitations. Maybe I’m not strong enough to shoulder the weight of loving like Jesus, but I don’t have to be; his grace is sufficient. He is more than capable of shouldering that.
His love is enough and enables and equips us to love steadfastly and sacrificially. So, dear one, who are you called to love today? To whom have you been afraid to show God’s love? Now that it’s not on your shoulders — what could today look like?
Lord, thank you for the grace and love you have for us. Give me a heart to serve and eyes to see the needs of those around me. I ask that you work through and in me today as I trust in the power your Spirit gives me to do so. Amen.
Throughout This Day: Every time you tell yourself that you can't do something God is asking you to do, remind yourself that God himself lives in you by his Spirit and gives you all you need to obey him. All you need to do is trust and obey.
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