I need to do well in faith, in school and in body, not neglecting any of my family, friends and my girlfriend. I have done poorly in these, one way or the other.
How may I take up a hobby and suspend my care for these people and affairs? I should not have time to engage in small activities that are small and will be of no consequence when lined up against these.
My best energies cannot be used to please myself alone.
My eyes ordinarily see only myself. If I live only by what I see and what I care to see, I will neglect and harm others, as I live my day out.
I must not give in to anger easily, but instead love in tenderness, gentleness and kindness.
Love covers all offenses; it does not blame or hold wrongs against one another. It does not invoke jealousy or guilt.
We may not love perfectly, but we may learn more and more from our God, who is Love.
1 John 4
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son[b] into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for[c] our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
13 We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17 In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
Our hearts must turn to God. Our hearts should be hearts that seek the LORD, even in joy, or in sorrow and anguish. We must bring our feelings and emotions before the Lord, those feelings that we can or cannot help feeling. We are not to think of our problems apart/ away from God. We are to pray in all things. Prayer is our first and best response.
We are in human company and we bruise, offend one another daily. We need to forgive and love those who harm us, and even more so if they are our friends.
We are not to bear grudges or store in our minds and hearts the offenses of others. We do not count their wrongs against them but love them past these. Love keeps no record of wrongs.
It is necessary to forgive, for in Matthew 6:14-15, Jesus said:
14 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
And He said this, after having taught us how to pray. We are instructed to pray and ask God to "forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors".
Jesus says this absolutely, and in the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant in Matthew 18, Jesus said that unless we forgive our brother who has sinned against us from the heart, there will be no canceling of debts.
We must forgive others, just as how God forgives us - He has done it first. We are to love uncommonly, with uncommon strength and uncommon motivation, all received from our God, who is Love.
We are to pray for God to fill us with His love for Him and for others, that we may have the strength and love to forgive others who have done us wrong.
I may not do this by myself, for I do not have much love. But God will pour His love into my heart by His Holy Spirit, already given me.
Christ lives in us; we must also live in Christ.
May His love be made complete in each of us.
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