Knowing for Sure that You're Saved!
One of the Proofs of Salvation that I talked about was: LOVE.
"A new command I give you: Love one another.
As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
By this everyone will know you are my disciples,
if you love one another."
Often, people doubt their salvation because they are harboring unforgiveness, even hatred towards someone. We all find it easy to love the ones we want to, but God commands us to love all people as He loves us. He doesn't make allowance for us to be selective of who we want and don't want to love!
If all this sounds impossible, it's because it is impossible. In and of ourselves, we are not capable of loving like that. But when we are born again, the Holy Spirit dwells within us and He is able! The only way to love others like God loves us is by allowing the Holy Spirit to love others through us.
I'm still pondering that scripture that
Corrie Ten Boom talks about:
Romans 5:5...
"The love of God is shed abroad (poured out)
in our heart by the Holy Ghost
which is given to us."
One of Ms. Ten Boom's areas of greatest calling had to be her revelation of this scripture. God made this so real to her that it became one of her well-known messages given around the world. She spoke it to women. She spoke it to men. She spoke it to believers. She spoke it to unbelievers. She even spoke it to prisoners. Anyone and everyone who would listen, heard about the great depth of God's love.
Even today, people give their lives to God because of that revelation. People forgive the unforgivable because of that revelation. Because she, herself, was able to forgive in the darkest of situations, God is able to use her story as a beacon -- shining the of light on the Path of Forgiveness, for others to walk down.
Tonight I realized something interesting. When we know that there is hatred in our heart towards someone and we can't even conceive the thought of considering forgiveness, perhaps we need to take a step back for a moment and consider another approach. Sometimes we have put a wall around our heart because we've been wounded. The mere thought of that person brings pain. The wall protects us from feeling that.
Instead of making forgiveness about a rule:
"I HAVE TO FORGIVE THAT PERSON!"
Why not make it about relationship?
Just turning our hearts towards God, spending time with Him, talking to Him and soaking in His love will, over time, soften our hearts. Slowly but surely we will let down the wall, at least for God.
And that love of His? It has healing powers! It's a soothing balm that brings about wellness and wholeness over time. He mends the broken-hearted. He drains the heart of pain. He's gentle, loving and kind. He can and will (if we work with Him) change our heart of hatred to a heart of love, like His.
Our way is to...
Avoid --> Shut off --> Shut Down --> Close up -- Don't even consider it!
God's way is that we...
Come to Him --> Open up --> Receive His Love --> Receive Healing -->
Trust Him more --> Consider His ways.
Yes, some things take time, but remember God's not in a rush. We're the ones that are always in a rush.
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy,
it does not boast, it is not proud.
It doesn't dishonor others,
it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails."
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
I'm heading off to bed, now...
thinking about His Love and
contemplating His ways.
Gail
