Thrive Moms: Loved Sample

“We Love Because”

We’ve looked at how much God loves us, and how we love ourselves and our families. How God chases after us, but why do WE love? How do we show that love - especially when we feel drained, exhausted and often completely empty? If you’re like me, sometimes you feel like you’re running in circles chasing after a love or community to prove to yourself your worth. Author Henri Nouwen said “I kept running around in large or small circles, always looking for someone or something able to convince me of my Belovedness.” I can so relate, can’t you?

Here’s the beautiful truth about love: “We, though, are going to love — love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first. The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You’ve got to love both.” (1 Peter 4 from The Message)

It’s blunt. It’s right there in His word - we’ve got to love others. We love because He first loved us, and He made us to show His love to others. If we take anything away from this, if we do anything right in this life - it’s that we love. If my children learn anything in my home, I hope it’s love. I hope they remember a home filled with love. I hope they walk away really knowing how to love others, and why we do it.

The hard truth that I’m sure your mind is going to right now is the hurt you’ve faced through love. You have loved, and been hurt in return. We all have. We’ve given our all to someone or something and been heartbroken. Maybe it was your child, your spouse, a friend, or even the church. Those wounds cut deep and often leave us feeling unable to love again.

It’s impossible to truly love others until we feel loved. It’s a hard thing to settle into forgiveness and grace when we’ve walked through a season of hurt, but if we want to shift our hearts to love and see our children grow in love - we have to step into forgiveness. If we can’t love the people we see, how can we love God?

Sisters, a generation of love begins in our homes. Let our children be known as the ones who made a difference. They will know we are His by our LOVE.