Articles
9 Ways to Respond to God’s Love
It’s easy to feel bombarded with information about what it means to love and to be loved, with advice on everything from self-care to saving our marriages. These messages tend to focus on self-serving, conditional love—love that can result in disappointment or confusion. We have to remind ourselves that the template for true love isn’t found in cultural definitions, it was given to us by a God who represents the concept itself.
There is more. God’s love is different from any other kind of love. In fact, the Bible says that God is love. God sent His only Son to die for the sins of every person. There was only one reason for God to experience that kind of heartache: His love for us. God didn’t need us, but He wanted us. He fought to give the furthest heart a gift we could never earn or deserve: eternal life. God’s love is unconditional, extravagant, and everlasting. And, it’s for everyone.
Love God.
It can be challenging to love others (and ourselves) if we don’t love God first. Seeking God consistently is one of the best ways to learn about His perfect love, and to show Him devotion and honor in turn.
Loving God can look like:
- Getting to know Him by reading the Bible
- Honoring God in worship
- Having a conversation with God through prayer
Love yourself.
While there will always be areas of life where you’ll need to grow, allowing God’s love to transform the way you view yourself is essential. God bought us with a price and calls us His own. He gives us a future full of hope, to carry out the good works He created us to do. When we choose to respect and value ourselves, we choose to honor God.
3 ways to practice self-love:
- Create habits that nourish your mind, body, and spirit.
- Ask God to show you how He sees you.
- Set aside time to rest in God’s presence.
Love your neighbor.
When you see yourself the way God sees you, you can love others the way God loves you. God intended healthy relationships to be compassionate, sacrificial, and forgiving. God wants us to love one another the way He loves us.
3 ways to love others:
- Pray for the people in your life.
- Serve someone with your time, talent, or finances.
- Be quick to listen, and to forgive.
