One of the hardest things to do in life as a rational responsible adult is to relax.
The opposite of relaxation is stress.
And we stress because we worry.
Let me tell you that no matter how big your problems may seem to be,
There is no need to worry because you serve a God that is infinitely bigger than any issue you may face.
Luke 1 37 says,
For with God nothing shall be impossible.
Not a relationship,
Not work struggles,
Not family issues,
Not health concerns.
Literally nothing.
For with God nothing shall be impossible.
As Christians we know that we serve a mighty powerful God who loves us.
How do we know he loves us?
Romans 5 8 says,
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this,
While we were still sinners.
Christ died for us.
1 John 4 verses 7 and 8 says,
Dear friends,
Let us continue to love one another,
For love comes from God.
Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God,
But anyone who does not love does not know God,
For God is love.
This is something we can take comfort in.
This is hope.
This is love.
And we as Christians are required to love as well.
Matthew 22 verses 37 through 39 tells us,
And he said to him,
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
This is the great and first commandment,
And the second is like it.
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
When we exist in love,
There is no room for fear or worry.
When we exist in love,
There is no room for fear or worry.
When we exist in love,
There is no room for fear or worry.
1 John 4 18 tells us,
There is no fear in love,
But perfect love drives out fear,
Because fear has to do with punishment.
The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
1 Corinthians 13 says,
If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels,
But didn't love others,
I would only be a noisy gong or clanging cymbal.
If I had the gift of prophecy,
And if I understood all God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge,
And if I had such faith that I could move mountains,
But didn't love others,
I would be nothing.
If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body,
I could boast about it,
But if I didn't love others,
I would have gained nothing.
Love is patient and kind.
Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.
It does not demand its own way.
It is not irritable,
And it keeps no record of being wronged.
It does not rejoice about injustice,
But rejoices whenever the truth wins out.
Love never gives up,
Never loses faith,
Is always hopeful,
And endures through every circumstance.
Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless,
But love will last forever.
Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete,
And even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture,
But when the time of perfection comes,
These partial things will become useless.
When I was a child,
I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child,
But when I grew up,
I put away childish things.
Now we see things imperfectly,
Like puzzling reflections in a mirror,
But then we will see everything with perfect clarity.
All I know now is partial and incomplete,
But then I will know everything completely,
Just as God now knows me completely.
Three things will last forever,
Faith,
Hope,
And love,
And the greatest of these is love.
My friends,
As you go on with the rest of your day,
Remember that you serve a mighty powerful God,
Who loves you and simply asks for you to love Him and your neighbors in return,
Not because He needs it,
But because you do.
My friends,
Choose love.
