There are times when I really feel that I am loving my best, where I am giving, listening, bending, and even hurting to put others before me.

There are also very, very many days where love seems to be such a detached thing, something out of this world and far-off from experiencing.

Either time, either moment, it is God that I am choosing to latch onto when I am declaring love to the people I interact with.

God is love.

When we are operating out of love, God is in our very midst. When we are being patient and kind it's more than just another feeling to choose or activity to be involved in, it is exuding the essence of God Himself to our world, and that is a big deal. It is definitely something that we should be grateful for.

There are days though when I get so down and beat up by the thoughts that tell me that I do a horrible job at loving others. That I just love poorly. It puts me in an awful mood where I really can't love others well.

I think this is because 1. I am listening to unloving thoughts towards myself and 2. I am only concerned with myself and what I am doing or not doing. Either of these things are huge pit-diggers.

But what gets me out of that pit is knowing the Father's true love for me and that I do love others well. This picture reminds me of that. The love that the Father has given me, I pour it out in great measure. I am not a failure, and I don't love terribly.

So when the days come where you feel eaten alive by guilt of harsh words spoken, or moments where the weight of your inability to be a giver loads on you, know that love is not depleted. Love is not hidden from you. Love is not a foreign extremity, it is in closer proximity than you could ever know and you give it better than you give yourself credit for.

Don't give up on yourself. Rest in knowing that He has saved us and His love is great. When we forget the times we have loved and we forget how much He has loved us, the world is a dimly lit place, full of hopelessness. And He did not design those who have been remade in Him to look at life poorly, but to make an exchange for faith, hope, and love.

love love love love