Written for Thee (Christian Journal)

1. Love

LOVE
By: JhovLovesYou
Published: June 18, 2019 at 12:08 PM

I heard a lot of stories telling how God called those people who told those stories and how they changed as they knew God. Some of these testimonies are about their turning points and breakthroughs, some are about dreams God has shown them, some are testimonies how they felt the presence of God, some are about their convictions to turn from sinning, some are just about that they are cautious that Jesus is coming, and many more.

In my case, it's the LOVE OF GOD that called me. Yes, before I feared hell and I feared to be punished eternally—but that fear was never been a reason for me to love God and get serious to having a relationship with Him. I was actually a stubborn child who kept being on fire, then eventually cold, then lukewarm, then the same routine again—until I just became a merely stagnant Christian.

But do you know how amazing God is? He let me feel His presence and let me drown in His love. Those times that I was holding back to serve Him and I was in the midst of hopelessness and loneliness, God called me and He told me to serve Him by singing hymns and by sharing the Gospel to someone closest, I mean, who was always with me at that time (my lola in Sta. Rita). I did so though I was hesitating with the decision to try to surrender my own will and plans.

I prayed then I tried. I tried then I changed. I changed then I experienced breakthrough. I experienced breakthrough then I got the reason to continue walking the path God has shown me. With these happenings, I felt the Love that filled my empty soul. I felt the Love that casted out my fears. I felt the Love that no one else can give. God completed me. And whenever I feel like breaking into pieces again, He's always there to mend me and make me whole. Whenever I feel like the world is against me, He stands before me. Whenever I feel like failing, He overcomes for me. Whenever fear, worry, frustration, and doubt compel me to give up, His strength compels me to be strong. That's how I experience God's love. He always let me be reminded to trust the process. Yes, sometimes it's tough and very convicting, but what makes me continue are the good things I experienced with Him. In the end, it will be worth it. I will not be the one to finish what has been started, but God alone—and He will finish what He has started—that He, who began a good work in me, will carry it into completion.

Now, I don't fear where I am going after this life. I don't fear what tomorrow may bring. I don't fear if the end is nearing—for God taught me and will still teach me to overcome fears. For God let me fall down on my knees, and breakdown as I couldn't carry those old burdens... then... He embraced me with His presence—that led my heart not to turn my back on Him again. "Wala nang atrasan pa." Now, I still fight and continue walking with God because of His love and I enjoy having Him and having my family in spirit.

How overwhelming God's love is. Even though I have overcome the burdens deep in my heart at least a year ago, I couldn't still help but cry as I was writing this devotional. And now, I'm sharing this here to you because I want you to know and try to experience how it feels as I learned to love God. This is just actually not that a big and extraordinary testimony, and you may experience more than I did. But one thing is for sure: big or small, as long as you learn to love God and you let God intervene with your life and not on your own strength anymore, it's extraordinary. So let me rephrase what I just said: my story is extraordinary because it's God who is involved in my story—because Jesus redeemed me from darkness.

God is my true Love. God is literally the Love. Praise He for we love because He first loved us.

Related book: 1 John 4