The Beauty Of Love Being A Choice

Monique Jordaan, Australia

Recently I’ve been struggling a lot with my emotions. Facing the pressure of a new job, the separation from my long-distance boyfriend, the loss of a family member, the disconnection through lock down, facing my childhood hurt – it feels never ending. I can be so overwhelmed with my emotions, that I can let them lead me as I struggle to work through them. Some days I just wish God would sort through my emotions and force me to act in faith every time. I convince myself that my emotions are in the way of me following God. But I’ve realised, that’s not what God wants, he doesn’t want an absent follower, he wants to be loved and true love comes as a choice.

1 Thessalonians 1:2-10

devotional

He chose you (v4) and he chooses to love you, through the pain, at the cost of His son, giving his whole heart so you might know Him. (Additional – Hosea 2:16,19,23). God isn’t forced to love you. With true love there is always a choice and it’s in that choice that makes love so beautiful. It is through that love you labour for God. Love is the motivator - not fear, not hurt, not religiosity. But labour in love is still labour – so will you choose love above all else?

God wants you to choose Him like he chose you. He desires your heart, not your checklist, which is why he never forces you (Hosea 6:6, Isaiah 29:13). It’s when I remember this that it becomes easy to choose God above my emotions.

Verse 6 says they welcomed the message during suffering. Emotions don’t stop me from being able to choose love. It’s when I forget I’m chosen and loved that the choice seems unclear. It’s when I put my hope in anything but God (v2). What do you put your hope in?

God gave us so much in order to be able to choose Him – his word, his Spirit, his heart, his Son, his comfort, his protection and guidance, his people. What has God done or put in your life to help you choose Him with love? Do you forget?

Once we choose God, we impact those around us. A simple choice to love God today can impact a soul forever. Will He be able to say of you, “She chose me today”? – grateful he gives us new opportunities everyday to hold onto Him (Psalm 119:112). We can decide to choose him today and always, just like He chose us at the cross.

reflection questions

• How will I choose to love God today?

• How will I choose to love God’s people today?

• How can I go after trusting God continues to choose me?