Welcome to Motivational Mondays!
First things first, what is Motivational Mondays?
Just like it sounds, to motivate, to empower, and to encourage you on the first day of a fresh week. I don't know about you but Mondays can be a drag for me, so sometimes words of encouragement and positivity are helpful to start my day off right.
Motivational Monday's topic is:
Love Is A Powerful Word
Let all that you do be done in love.
1 Corinthians 16:14
The word love is a very powerful word. Some may even consider it to be the one word that carries the most weight across all languages, beliefs, cultures, and so on. Love is also one of the most misunderstood, misused, and misinterpreted words. Love, according to Webster's Dictionary, is the intense feelings of deep affection. When you think about the word in the worldly sense, it is superficial and shallow. It doesn’t even scrape the surface of the true meaning behind it. Many people say the phrase “I love you,” so much, but it isn’t filled with honest passion or true emotion. People say it out of habit, or reflex causing it to be just a meaningless, and empty phrase.
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
In the Bible, the word love is mentioned more than 551 times depending on the version of the book you are reading. The scripture above from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, breaks down the biblical definition of what it means to Love. Let’s dive deeper and break it down because love is unconditional.
“Love is Patient”
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9
Patient love is one that carries the weight of wrongdoings and is slow to punish those who offend, without giving in to indifference. God shows patient love to each and every one of us every day. He waits for us to come to him so that we can be welcomed into eternal life with him.
“Love is Kind”
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
Proverbs 31:26
Kind love is defined as how we treat others. It is a goodness to those who have been treated poorly. Kind love can be represented as gentle discipline when needed. Kind love is approaching someone and helping them without hurting them.
“Love Does Not Envy or Boast”
Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Galatians 5:26
Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.
Proverbs 27:2
As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
James 4:16
There is no such thing as jealous or envious love. We cannot love someone if we are pinning over what they have and we do not. The bible tells us to not compare ourselves with the likes of others because in doing so can cause us to fall into sin. Instead, we should be happy and rejoice in our brothers and sisters, it should excite us that they are prospering. It is not our place to boast or brag about our achievements. Love is not bragging but rather praising and uplifting others for the works that they are doing within God’s will.
“It Is Not Arrogant or Rude”
Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
1 Samuel 2:3
Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
Romans 12:10
Love cannot be arrogant. Showing arrogance is like being defiant towards God because you take your own self-importance over God's. We must not forget that God is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent, he knows and sees all and none is more powerful than he. The Goal of love is to love one another as he loves us. This means taking the time to care about others and their cultures, values, morals, customs, likes, and dislikes. To love someone means that you respect their opinions, emotions, concerns, and differences even when they do not align with yours. You cannot show love if you are rude by acting dishonorably or disgracefully towards others.
“It Does Not Insist On Its Own Way”
Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Philippians 2:3-4
Love is for everyone. It is about putting others before the benefit of your own good. Love is about taking into consideration the emotions and well-being of others. It is about putting God first in your life. You cannot love someone if you are not willing to put them before yourself. God so loved the world that he gave his only son, to die for our sins.
“It Is Not Irritable or Resentful”
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
1 John 4:18
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
Psalm 103:8
When people do you wrong, it is crucial to not be quick to anger. Love does not hold grudges against others. The bible tells us that if you have a problem with someone then you should go to that person and forgive them so that the Lord may continue to work in your life.
“It Keeps No Record of Wrongdoing”
Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
1 Peter 4:8
Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”
Luke 17:3-4
Forgiving love is one that forgives no matter how many times the other person does you wrong. A forgiving love shows their love by not holding anything against them. When we forgive, we should also Practice Mindfulness, and Set Boundaries To Protect Your Heart.
“It Rejoices With Truth”
Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 John 4:8
God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
John 4:24
Honest Love avoids evil and lies and looks for the truth in light and in God. But rather honest love rejoices when others are living according to the truth set forth by God.
“Love Bears, Believes, Hopes, and Endures All Things”
And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
Colossians 3:14
Love uncovers the sins of others in a way that is not harmful, not damaging but seeks to restore others. It gives the benefit of the doubt and attempts to find the best in others. Love is optimistic, positive, and it hopes for the best outcome in all situations. Love is understanding that God will keep His promises and will complete the work that he began within each and every one of us. This love is encouraging others to be bold and move forward in their faith and relationship with God because it endures all.
“Love is Never Ending”
So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13
Never-ending love goes beyond the boundaries of ordinary love. It is eternal, divine, and will never cease.
**I hope everyone has a safe and blessed week and I will see you all on Saturday for our Weekly Topic Saturdays**
~Just Breathe...A Golden Dream~
Amen.