Getting Out of Our Comfort Zones to Love Others
One of the ways I spend my mornings is in growing my relationship with the Lord. I am currently reading through the Bible over the year and I also am reading in a short daily devotional by David Powlison called, “Take Heart: Daily Devotions to Deepen Your Faith”. Angela and I, and a few others I am close to, are reading this and being encouraged in our walk with Jesus. If you too would like some encouragement I’d highly recommend this to you.
I thought I would share one of the devotions I recently read. As we are about to begin a new semester of small groups I thought this was timely.
“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. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” —John 13:34–35
The Bible gives us two pictures of loving relationships. The leading theme, the richer theme, involves the people you truly enjoy—your beloved brother, sister, wife, the child you hold in your arms, and dear friends. In heaven you will see face-to-face the One you love, the supreme Person. But heaven is also a place full of other relationships you enjoy. These people love you without pretense, competition, or manipulation.
But side by side with that call to joyous intimacy is a call to get out of your comfort zone. The harder call of the Bible is to love enemies, strangers, people who are different from you, and those who are needy, sinful, and broken.
This call comes for two reasons. First, it tests whether you are turning the innocent pleasures of intimacy into a stained pleasure. Are you and the people you enjoy turning into a clique? Second, the call tests whether we are willing to widen the circle of intimacy so that enemies become friends, strangers become like family, and someone you don’t know becomes like a dear sister. The goal is always the simple, joyous relationship with others—the mutual affection and give-and-take. God calls you to widen the circle of your friendships, and to avoid making a god out of those who bring you the greatest pleasure. Doing these two things will fill your life with the pleasure of relationships with others.
A good word for us in reaching out and loving others. May God richly bless you as you expand your borders and risk new friendships.
In His Grip,
I thought I would share one of the devotions I recently read. As we are about to begin a new semester of small groups I thought this was timely.
“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. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” —John 13:34–35
The Bible gives us two pictures of loving relationships. The leading theme, the richer theme, involves the people you truly enjoy—your beloved brother, sister, wife, the child you hold in your arms, and dear friends. In heaven you will see face-to-face the One you love, the supreme Person. But heaven is also a place full of other relationships you enjoy. These people love you without pretense, competition, or manipulation.
But side by side with that call to joyous intimacy is a call to get out of your comfort zone. The harder call of the Bible is to love enemies, strangers, people who are different from you, and those who are needy, sinful, and broken.
This call comes for two reasons. First, it tests whether you are turning the innocent pleasures of intimacy into a stained pleasure. Are you and the people you enjoy turning into a clique? Second, the call tests whether we are willing to widen the circle of intimacy so that enemies become friends, strangers become like family, and someone you don’t know becomes like a dear sister. The goal is always the simple, joyous relationship with others—the mutual affection and give-and-take. God calls you to widen the circle of your friendships, and to avoid making a god out of those who bring you the greatest pleasure. Doing these two things will fill your life with the pleasure of relationships with others.
A good word for us in reaching out and loving others. May God richly bless you as you expand your borders and risk new friendships.
In His Grip,
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