How to love like Jesus

Do we love like Jesus?

Do we really know what love is?

Deep, intimate love? Where does love come from? What exactly does the Bible say about love?

It’s interesting that the word love is mentioned 361 times in the New King James version of the Bible.  Think maybe God is trying to say something? He unquestionably is. The bottom line is that to be loved, we have to love others.

Love is patient, love is kind, it isn’t jealous, it doesn’t brag, it isn’t arrogant, it isn’t rude, it doesn’t seek its own advantage, it isn’t irritable, it doesn’t keep a record of complaints. — 1 Corinthians 13:4-5.

Love is pure.

More than anything, the Bible makes it clear that “God is love” (1 John 4:8).  He isn’t just loving; He is also the very definition of love. God loves us because he created us.  His affection is unconditional.

God both generates and demonstrates love, and that love endures forever. – Psalm 100:5

Jesus teaches us to love our enemies, turn the other cheek, and walk the extra mile. To our human minds, that sounds completely outrageous. But that’s exactly the point. If we want to love like Jesus, we have to open our hearts and our minds. We must fully utilize our faith, emotions, reason, thoughts, and feelings to accomplish this.

I admit, I long struggled with the concept of love.  I was introduced to sex at the age of 5, raped countless times, and married and divorced twice. My father wasn’t a part of my life, I grew up deaf in a hearing family that often left me out, and most importantly, I didn’t know who I was nor did I have a personal relationship with my Lord Savior.

I did not know authentic, pure love until the age of 50, when I surrendered my life to Jesus.  As the Bible says, “give it all to Him, cry your heart out, fall to your knees, hands in the air, tears falling” when you surrender.  I remember the day I did this.  It was probably the scariest thing I have ever experienced but it was also the most beautiful thing I have ever experienced. I found that when you surrender, your body shakes as the holy spirits move in you. You cry. You feel the warmth of God’s arms around you, holding you and loving you with all His might.  You feel the love, His love. Wholesome, pure love.

Honestly, I had never experienced pure love with anyone until I gave it all to my Lord Savior.  My heart was so extremely heavy, filled with bitterness, and full of unforgiveness. I built walls up around my heart to keep out any trace of love, and I had never experienced pure, authentic love. I hated a lot of people for what they did to me, yet I hated hating them.

Once I surrendered all of my bitterness, all my pain, all my hatred, and my unforgiveness to God, that pure love I craved for so many years came flowing into me. I find it so much easier to forgive and to love.

This didn’t happen overnight, though, but God helped me be aware of what I had to do. As Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” — John 2:34.

Today, I forgive easier, I turn my cheek easier, I smile easier, and I laugh easier with a complete healing soul.

I wish I surrendered much sooner in my life.  But as God says, our journey is never easy. The challenges and our obstacles help us draw closer to God. When we do finally surrender, nothing else matters.

God asks, “Who do I send?” I say, “Send me. I am ready to love like you, Lord.”

Love like Jesus.