Love is what we were born for!
A life not in love with God is a life that is not truly alive. If we take on the identity of our sin, then we are taking on the identity of something that only produces death, and there is no life in it. When we put love on as our identity, and we recognize that God is seeing us through this love, and not as our sin, then we are alive and full of life. That was Jesus' whole mission, to come so that we may have life and life more abundant!
My good friend Peter wrote a song with the lyrics, "I am not my sin." The significance and power of this reality is massive. Often times when we begin to identify with our struggles and less with the love of God, we allow ourselves to enter into the yolks of bondage, that we are in fact completely set free from. I am not my sin. I am not condemned. In fact, I am perfectly loved by God. This must be the foundation of our understanding about ourselves. If we choose to hold ourselves in condemnation then we will never be able to walk in freedom and peace.
The reality that Jesus fully dwells in us and has fully reconciled himself to us is the amazing truth of the gospel. Rejoice for you are alive. The desire to be accepted, loved and known is all true when you know Jesus. He has chosen and forgiven you. Now we are empowered and enabled to live a life of love.
The world desperately needs people whose sole mission is to love others. What usually prevents us from love? Unbelief that produces selfishness. If we do not believe this truth about our identity, and we believe that we are our sin, then we will spend our effort and time trying to fix ourselves and less time loving others. Fixing ourselves is useless. He is the fixer, restorer, rebuilder. And He has already done the fixing.....the cross produced everything necessary for you to walk in freedom and live a life of love.
Let this be our prayer- Lord help my unbelief! May I live in the truth of my salvation, in the wonderful reality that I am completely loved and walking in union with Jesus. Thank you Lord for your goodness
