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Been a while - but have a lot of thought to write and not a lot of time - so this may be the first of many- but it will be short and sweet.

Been reflecting on how we handle life situations, how do we see things- how do we see God, ourselves and people- and been reflecting on, in particular, difficult situations where we are called to love, be it our enemies, our friends or even ourselves. Something I have been challenged with regularly ( so you can read on and see if you can make sense of my thoughts :p)

So often we hear and often casually throw around the term 'walk in love'- but what does love look like. I have seen love translated many times and sadly seen it become lost in translation and people make it up as they go along. In 1 Corinthians 13 we can see the outworking of love but in this post I would like to focus on the attitude of love... and oh yess love sure does have an attitude.....
I say this because you can step on my toe and as I know I need to walk in love towards you I say no problem. But we all know that no problem can be said in so many different ways- I could be kind with it, I could be snappy with it, I could be aggressive with it- and which would come with the attitude of love... the one that oozes out forgiveness! 

That was a very small analogy- but what I am trying to say is that when we do what we are called to do- how do we do it- and how do we see ourselves in the process. Whenever I have these reflections I always have to come back to the Bible and what greater example is there than Jesus? He came for love. John 3:16 says that God so LOVED the world He gave His Son. Christ came for love-so that we may come into relationship with God, our Father. So what did love look like? It looked like encouragement (evidence of Jesus in the Gospels), healing, and so much more signs and wonders! Not only did love look like something- but love carried an attitude. Christ did all these things not worrying if people were going to accept His love, He loved anyway! He didn't do these things worrying whether people were going to take advantage and walk all over Him. He loved anyway! He didn't show an act of love and then behave as if He had given someone power of Him. He loved anyway because He knew that love has more power!! He also did all these things with a vision in mind. He done all these things knowing that whatever He came up against from the attitude of the Pharisees to leprosy, there was going to be a day where He would see all these things under His feet! He knew He was going to overcome these things- and knew He could walk in that overcoming spirit in the present. 

It says in Colossians 2 that Christ disarmed such authorities was put them to shame when He triumphed over them! We can therefore now love openly with no fear of the outcome for we know that however other people respond to us- love never fails! When walking in love we need an expectancy- In Hebrews 12 it says that what kept Christ going was the joy set before Him! He had a vision, and had an expectancy. He loved openly knowing that love would triumph. We can do the same knowing that we are and will overcome! We love out of God's love and not our own. 

In the face of rejection- we can continue to love! Why should another person's affect my own?
Love openly with an attitude of expectancy- not with a victim attitude for we are created to be overcomers- lol i dont love thinking "you've got one over me this time because I have to love you"- it may feel painful but love with a smile on your face knowing you have overcome!! 

*LOVE*