Love With All Your Heart...series chapter 12

Love With All Your Heart

by:

Linda Driver

 

 

Love is trusting:

Love bases its self-worth in God's love and acceptance.

Amanda was a timid soul with a very low self-esteem. She found it very difficult to trust others and found it much easier to withdraw. Amanda was incredibly sensitive and spent a great deal of time nursing wounded feelings. She became hurt over things that were not even directed at her at all. Amanda was so busy trying to protect her feelings that she had no time to care if others were hurting. When she walked into a room, she hung her head low and just waited to see who would ignore her. Then she would feel rejected and unloved. She assumed that people were always talking behind her back. When she aw others involved in meaningful conversation, she reminded herself how boring and unlikable she was. She was suspicious and distrustful of everyone, even God. Because of the way she continually demeaned herself, she found it very hard to believe that God would love and accept her.

 

Then one day Amanda came face to face with the claims of God's love as found in the Bible:

 

"Love...believes all things."

 1 Corinthians 13:7

 

    Surely he will never be shaken; The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance. 7 He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.

Psalm 112:6,7

 

    For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

2 Timothy 1:7

 

    So we may boldly say: "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?"

Hebrews 13:6

 

    For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: "In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength." But you would not,   

Isaiah 30:15

 

    Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, For in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to You.

Psalm 143:8

 

 

Love has a trusting, confiding nature; love always believes the best about others.

 

Love allows God to be in complete control of the emotions.

 

Love is composed and confident, with a healthy self-image; love gains the respect of others. 





Love places its confidence and assurance in God, knowing its value and worth in Him.

 

Love does not depreciate itself or let others repress its spirit.

 

Love is not easily hurt or offended; love is not touchy or sensitive.

 

Love is not crushed by censure, criticism, or rejection; love is not brow beaten or dejected.

 

Love does not let the opinions of others cause it to lose self-respect.

 

Love is not compromising or wishy-washy, but firm and true to principle.

 

Love enables one to remain stable when people prove untrustworthy.

 

Love puts its supreme trust and confidence in God, depending totally upon His Word with unwavering confidence.