To love – Gods greatest calling, command, and honor. But what does it mean to love? It’s not someone’s gifts or ability to do “spiritual” things that makes them Christ like, but it is their ability to love. It wasn’t until I was talking to someone at church recently and they pointed out these things we idolize in others are just gifts, and really don’t even belong to them but God gifted them to that person. Truly what shows someone is a Christian and representation of God is their ability to love. As I’ve gone through trials I’ve had those around me show me what love is and isn’t. It is often that through these trials God grows our spiritual maturity. He was showing me who I could trust and couldn’t trust. Because God loves us He isn’t afraid to correct us. It is out of His love for us that we may experience these lessons in order to teach us and have us grow. God told me the testing of faith is not easy, but is needed in order for Him to take me where I must go.

I used to look up to people with certain gifts and began to pick apart my own relationship with God. I thought I must not be doing something right, and began to let others influence me in their way because “i must be wrong.” But it’s funny how God works. The Holy Spirit will always show you when you go the wrong way. I began to question those I looked up to and allowed God to reveal His way. It’s important to pay attention when you feel disturbed because there is always a reason for it. The Holy Spirit was showing me what was not right and began to grow my spiritual maturity. He began guiding me to those that showed me the love of Christ and helped me see the situation around me more clearly. We each have a specific calling and own set of gifts. Not everyone will go through the same things but God will put each of us in situations to test our faith in accordance to our calling. Some people will not be able to accept the call on your life and that’s okay. God will always give you grace and the eyes to see this. God will always remove to improve. Some people aren’t meant to stay and that’s okay. But with the help of God He will change your perspective – Spiritual Maturity.

It’s through the love and words of Jesus I realized it isn’t how amazing or perfect someone else’s relationship with God may look. If their heart is not in a posture of love they really aren’t living for God. God is love. He calls us to love. When we begin to rely on and brag about our gifts it starts to turn into a self righteous behavior. This does not make others want to grow closer to God but actually repels them. Through situations of my own I dealt with this and it actually pushed me closer into God and His love. But I can see how dangerous of a situation it can be especially if someone doesn’t know God. Be careful who you listen to and do not be swayed by what man says but listen to what God says. God has been really pressing in to me and telling me to trust what He says and what He says alone. There will always be someone there to tell you their opinion. But what does God say? His is the only opinion that matters.

Being called to love and love like Christ can be a tough and we definitely need to work at it. We go through seasons where people don’t talk to us but talk about us and you may wonder what you did wrong. And most likely the answer is NOTHING! As I said before some people just can’t handle your calling and lack maturity. These situations are learning lessons and help you grow in God’s love as He gives you the grace to do so. It is not always easy but as you follow His prompting and always extend love you gain more spiritual maturity. It is important to pay attention to peoples actions and consistency. What are their actions? Are they consistent with their word? How do they treat others? How do they talk about others? Pay attention to these things! Asking these questions will help you recognize red flags. After seeing Galatians 5:22-23 pop up in church again yesterday it further solidified what God had been speaking to me about love. It also gave me more grace for those that have hurt me. If someone lacks love then be aware because they will lack in all other areas of the fruit of the spirit. Love is the highest calling and command, but if they cannot do that they will lack in all other areas because all other areas flow from love. This is why looking at a persons consistency and how they treat others etc. can help prevent future trials in our lives. Just pay attention to what God is speaking to you and showing you. As long as you pay attention and obey to His instruction He will never lead you astray.

Remember You Are Fearfully Made

xoxo Taylor Nicole