Counsels on Self-Identity

Counsel #11 — Godly-Love

Picture: Counsel #11 — Godly-Love CI 111.1

What does love look like in a woman who follows Christ? It’s not just defined by soft smiles and gentle words, but it’s a fierce, selfless strength that keeps loving even when it hurts. CI 111.2

You’ve probably heard people compare a woman’s love to a mother’s: sacrificial, tender, unconditional. This is accurate, but God’s version of love goes even deeper. It’s the kind of love that chooses the good of another, even if that person doesn’t deserve it. It’s loving the friend who ghosted you, the family member who wounded you with words, or the coworker who always competes with you over everything. That kind of love doesn’t come naturally. It comes supernaturally. Genesis 1:27 tells us we’re made in God’s image, and since God is love, that means you were created with the capacity to love in a way that reflects Him. This doesn’t mean you have to be a doormat or stay in toxic relationships, but letting your heart remain soft in a world that keeps trying to harden it is the first step in reflecting Christ. So, what does love look like coming from you? Is it guarded and cautious, or open and led by grace?^[112] CI 111.3

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.” 1 John 4:7 NIV CI 111.4

“God desires from all His creatures the service of love.” Ellen White in From Eternity Past, p. 9 CI 111.5

Reflect: Where is God asking you to love more like Him? CI 111.6