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•A Prayer to Live in Love•By Anthony Valente👉 “We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in His love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.” (1 John 4:16)It’s hard when the people we love the most in this life disappoint us. It’s painful when those people, who we trust with our hearts, hurt us. It’s easy to replay scenes and conversations over and over in our minds, letting anger and frustration stew and steer us. Pride blurs our vision of ourselves, each other, conversations, and those scenes we replay. In fact, our brains are capable of editing those scenes and conversations dependent upon which alibi we allow ourselves to marinate in. Thoughts can wreak havoc, and our minds are powerful. We can manage to craft a great defense in our minds, but all it does is hold us hostage. Living in love, as John wrote in the verse above, releases us from the burden of alibis and stewing over injustice and hurt. The hurt is real, but we don’t have to bathe in it. We have the power, through the Holy Spirit living in us through Christ Jesus, to take our minds back by giving the hurt to Him. He defends us, purifies us, forgives us, strengthens us, and walks through the hurt with us. But we must give it to Him. We must stop fighting and start the process of forgiving, whether an apology comes our way or not. Living in love is redirecting our trust from ourselves to God. He is Love. He is the only one capable of piloting the seas and swells of hurt in our lives. We are going to hurt others, and they are going to hurt us. In fact, the closer we get to our people, the better chance for bitter hurt. It’s a guarantee. Instead of digging our feet in, stubbornly defending our alibis, and building walls around our pride, we can be free. We can let go, look in the mirror, and realize we are all on the same team, fighting the same battle with our sinful selves, and loved by the same God who has the power to restore peace despite it all. Let’s pray to live in that kind of love.Let’s Pray.✝️ Father,Praise You for this day and Your purpose for it. This is the day You have made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. God, we know how much You love us, and we have put our trust in Your love. You are love, God, and all who live in love live in You, and You in them. Glory to You, the One True, Triune God. Abba, Father; Jesus, Messiah; Spirit, Counselor. It’s through You we find the strength, power, and determination to live in Love. When we are tempted to stew and steer our situations, remind us, Holy Spirit, to release our grip on it to You. Help us to be unoffendable, Father. Let us remember the love and forgiveness You have for all of us, to send Your One and only Son Jesus to die for our sins ….to rescue us ….and Jesus, thank You for willingly walking to the cross to die so that we may know what it is to live in Love. Not just here on earth, but for eternity. Thank You for sending Your Holy Spirit to abide in us, comforting, counseling, advocating, and helping us through our everyday lives. Teach us what it means to live in Love, Lord. Help us to fully accept Your love, and willingly pass it on to the people You have purposefully placed in our lives. Father, let us be quick to apologize wholeheartedly when we have caused hurt. And let us be quick to forgive before we receive an apology. Jesus, we need You. We can’t live in love without You. Come into our lives in a fresh, undeniable way today. Heal the deep hurts we are tempted to hold on to and dig back up. By the power of Your Holy Spirit take those offenses away permanently. Help us to let go of any offenses we are holding onto and rid our hearts of any unforgiveness preventing us from living in the freedom of Your unconditional love. We pray today, and every day, to live in love, Father.In Jesus’ Name,AMEN 🙏 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!(1 Corinthians 13:4-7)And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. (Colossians 3:17)Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.(1 John 4:8-10)No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.(1 John 4:12-13)So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.(1 Corinthians 10:31)And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.(Romans 8:28)Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.(John 13:34-35)Live a life of love just as Christ loved us and gave himself for us as a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice to God.(Ephesians 5:2)"Do for others what you want them to do for you: this is the meaning of the Law of Moses and of the teachings of the prophets.(Matthew 7:12)Let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.(1 John 3:18)Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.(1 John 3:24)“Do everything in love."(1 Corinthians 16:14)"Love should be shown without pretending. Hate evil, and hold on to what is good." "Love each other like the members of your family. Be the best at showing honor to each other."(Romans 12:9-10)"I love those who love me; those who seek me will find me."(Proverbs 8:17)"No one has greater love than to give up one's life for one's friends."(John 15:13)"Instead, love your enemies, do good, and lend expecting nothing in return. If you do, you will have a great reward. You will be acting the way children of the Most High act, for he is kind to ungrateful and wicked people."(Luke 6:35)"Set me as a seal over your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is as strong as death, passionate love unrelenting as the grave. Its darts are darts of fire divine flame! Rushing waters can't quench love; rivers can't wash it away. If someone gave all his estate in exchange for love, he would be laughed to utter shame."(Song of Solomon 8:6-7)He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.(Colossians 1:13)(pic verse)He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.(Isaiah 40:11)Artist 👨‍🎨 I Am With You Always - David Delfeld