Fruit of the Spirit Study Series: Love

In Galatians 5:22-23 the first fruit of the spirit listed is love. There seems to be infinite ways to study and discuss the word “love” as it appears throughout scripture in many forms. This study focuses on Jesus’ response which so clearly tells to focus our love into three things: God, others, and ourselves.

In Matthew 22:36-40, Jesus is asked, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”  

Loving God

How does God want us to love Him?

Jesus tells us to Love God first. I know I love God, but do I love God with my whole heart or do I hold back?  When God calls us to a deeper place do we go there?  Or do we stop just short of something amazing that God has for us?  

There is a song by Casting Crowns titled “What if I Gave Everything” that describes this internal struggle so perfectly.  Here is a portion of the lyrics.

So why am I still standing here
Why am I still holding back from You
I hear You call me out into deeper waters
But I settle on the shallow end
So why am I still standing here

So afraid what it might cost to follow You
I’d walk by faith if I could get these feet to move
But I don’t want to live that way
I don’t want to look back someday
On a life that never stepped across the line

Why is this such a struggle to truly love God without holding back?  We hold back parts of ourselves. We keep hidden talents, gifts, thoughts, energy that could truly make a difference in the lives of others. Choosing to Love God with our whole selves, and allowing Him to even use the broken and weak parts, is all that He is expecting.
Is there something you have been holding back from God?  True love does not hold back. God sees your heart anyway, talk to him.

 If you hear that gentle nudge from the Holy Spirit as you read these words and something comes to mind that you know you have held back, make the decision today or this week to do one simple thing. Find some way to move forward or make yourself available for God to use. Look for or ask God for an opportunity! Offer your whole heart, soul, and mind! 

Loving Others

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." John 15:12

Let’s be honest, truly loving others with your whole heart is not always easy.  We have to constantly be keeping God’s love in mind for us to truly love others in the way that he calls us. We have to see others through God’s eyes as His children whom He loves and to whom He gave the ultimate sacrifice.

“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man." Proverbs 3:3-4

This imagery in Proverbs 3:3-4 is powerful.  To bind something is to wrap around with something so as to enclose or cover. It was common in Jewish culture to write important scripture or names onto paper and fashion them into beads or charms to be worn around the neck or across the body. It was their version of post it notes! We do this today also with our charms and jewelry, home decor, and even encouraging Facebook gifs. Jesus is using this reference here to emphasize the importance of keeping love at the forefront of our thoughts and to drive our passion all day long. 
God calls us to not just bind them around our neck and show love externally, but to have love internally written on our heart. Think of it as being saturated, not just wearing a piece of jewelry for others to see but have it engraved deep within.

If you want a simple description of what love is take a look at 1 Corinthians 13:4-5: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs."

How do these verses speak to you? Challenge yourself this week to show love to someone that God places in your path, even a person who may seem difficult.

As Yourself

It is interesting that the passage in Matthew contains a reference to loving yourself. While Jesus gives us two commandments, to love God and to love others, He clearly references loving yourself. It is as if it is assumed we are supposed to love ourselves! Is this a struggle? For many it is! Some have an abundance of self-love and some have none. What is a good balance?

To learn how to love anyone, including yourself, simply apply the same outline in 1 Corinthians 13:4-5. Love yourself in the way that God sees you, following the descriptors of what love is and is not! 

Throughout scripture God says wonderful things about his children (You and me). God loved us before we were even a thought in this world.

Take a moment and read just a few passages that describe how God sees us: We are…

Chosen (John 15:16) 
Forgiven (1st John 1:9, Psalm 103:12)
Created for a purpose (Ephesians 2:10)
Loved (John 3:16, Isaiah 54:10, Ephesians 2:4-5) 

If any of these verses really hit home, write them down, post somewhere that you will see daily to remember God’s love and how he sees you.  

Without love, the rest of the attributes listed as fruits of the spirit would be impossible.  Love is the foundation that is required to grow joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control.  

Dear Heavenly Father, 

Thank you for your love.  Thank you for giving many passages in the Bible on love that can guide in my daily walk with you. Thank you for loving so much that you sent Jesus to die on the cross so that I could have a home in heaven.  Help me to keep love at the forefront of my thoughts, decision making, and actions.  

In Jesus name,
Amen

​Heather Lynch and Kim Carroll