Growing from this Place Subject: Understanding the love within me
In this week’s edition of Growing from this Place Bible Study, Pastor Jonathan McKnight explores the concept of love. However, he doesn’t delve into the idea of love for and from a Valentine’s Day appeal, but explores the functionality and the identity of love from one solid perspective, within us. He sets the tone of this week’s study by pointing out that there is a mixture of emotions today around the word love. In that, he offers up three questions about love from a protagonist (as well as an antagonist) perspective:
- What has love done to us?
- What has love done through us?
- What has love done for us?
In correspondence to these questions, he identifies that in this day in age, people have made love an encounter or experience that they have had. Depending on one’s encounter with love or the perception of it, the results can often lead to love becoming a friend or even an enemy to his or her happiness.
He goes on to point out that in spite of being affected by love in a negative way, it is ultimately up to you to decide on what type of love will remain inside of you. When love rubs you the wrong way, the enemy will want to you to hate the word love. The enemy will also have you thinking that you have no idea what you are and you are capable of becoming when there is no love.
Using some literary points from his I Did It in the Name of Love book, Pastor McKnight shares on what love is, but first exploits what love isn’t. According to his book, love:
- Is not bitter – The love inside of you is more better than bitter
- Does not someone else worse – Does your love makes some better?
- Doesn’t make you lose your identity – You should never lose you and your walk with God, trying to love someone else
He charges you realize and understand that there is power in love. He invokes you to ask yourself, “What type of love is within me? Am I giving what I’m expecting? Is my love making someone bitter or better? Pastor McKnight, in continuing through his I Did It in the Name of Love book, expresses what love is by eluding to the principle that love is a Gift. He provides a breakdown of this in his book, which offers an insight to how love is indeed a Gift.
G – LOVE GIVES. It gives you peace, security, safety, joy, a positive identity, and eternal life.
I – LOVE INCREASES. It increases your esteem, your relationship with God, your relationship with others, your wealth, your will to love, your passion for purpose, and your faith.
F – LOVE FORGIVES. It forgives mistakes, sins failures, iniquities, disobedience, oneself, and others who have hurt you.
T – LOVE TRANSFORMS. It transforms your character, your mind, your behavior, your lifestyle, and your potential. It also gives you the power to help transform others.
Pastor McKnight concludes the study with a personal note in reference to Acts 20:31, that love is best when you give it away. It is his prayer that you become Healed, Whole and Happy and that love yourself and others from a God perspective.
Scripture Reference
1 Corinthians 13:1-13; Acts 20:31