As we grow daily in God, we must realize that it is important to take a look within. We often need to do a check up on the quality of our fruit regarding how we are relating to other people. When we genuinely turn the focus from how others treat us to how we treat others growth can will take place. For example, am I showing love and kindness to others or am I worried about them being kind to me? Am I exhibiting joy, peace and goodness to them regardless of the circumstances? Or, at the end of the day do I find that I retaliated and used harsh words toward the one who didn’t treat me or my family well? Or perhaps I appeared kind on the outside, but inside I was not thinking the best thoughts toward the person. First Corinthians 13:7, the Amplified Classic version reminds us, “Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. We should make a daily choice to be ready to believe the best in others. If God cared enough to tell us we need to do this, then that tells us that there may be opportunity when believing the worst is a viable option. So, as we are checking the quality of our fruit, we have to be ready…ready to believe the best …ready to walk in God’s love. Of course, it is easy to believe the best in others when they reciprocate. For example, when others are kind, generous, complimentary and loving toward us, the challenge of loving them is usually non-existent. However, when others are challenging, mean, cut-throat, and selfish, we may find our love walk difficult, especially when we know we will have more interaction with them. Therefore, God tells us to be ready to believe the best. We must choose not to expect the worst. And then if they happen to be mean and ugly, God adds more direction for us in Matthew 5:44, “Pray for those who despitefully use you…” The Message translation says, “When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer”. As we genuinely pray for another person, we should pray what the Word says about them, instead of a fleshly prayer of, “God, they treated me wrong. Strike them down”. What about, “Thank you God for So-and-So. I know you sent Jesus to die for them. I know your Word says they are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). I know You think good thoughts toward them (Jeremiah 29:11). I ask you to bless them, God. I thank you that you meet all their needs according to your riches in glory. I thank you that……” When we pray the Word for our enemies we are renewing our mind toward them. We are preparing ourselves daily to be ready to believe the best of even the most challenging person in our lives. We are truly walking in the love of God toward others. As our love walk matures, we can look in the mirror and see Jesus. He is our example to follow. We are to treat others the way He does. Say this: Today I choose to be ready to believe the best of others. I choose to pray for those that don’t treat me right. I thank you God that you see each of us through the lens of your love. Help me to be loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, and gentle with others. Thank you, God, for helping me see others as You do. I will not rehearse bad thoughts about others in my mind, but rather set myself to be ready to love by believing the best of them. Meditate on the following Scriptures this week as you think about loving others. I Corinthians 13:4-8 AMPC “4 Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. 5 It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. 6 It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. 7 Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. 8 Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy ([d]the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].” Jeremiah 29:11 HCSB “For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Psalm 139:14 AMP “I will give thanks and praise to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.” Matthew 5:44 TPT “However, I say to you, love your enemy, bless the one who curses you, do something wonderful for the one who hates you, and respond to the very ones who persecute you by praying for them.” If these thoughts helped you please share them with your friends & family! -Gregurich Ministries
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AuthorsPosts by Tad Gregurich, Tanner Gregurich, Josh Egts & Amanda Gregurich. Archives
April 2020
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