We know love is our greatest need. Yet our need often goes unmet. Truly this is a crime against our soul that needs to stop.

We struggle to know we’re loved and to love others. We want to, but the truth is, sometimes we believe other people deserve love and we don’t.

We think we need to do something to earn it. This is not true and I’ll prove it to you. I learned this personally. These 10 truths changed my life and they can change yours too. The love you need is not earned.

You have a right know you’re loved and to know how to love others.

It all begins with the source.

True love lives in a self-sustaining circle given, shared and enjoyed.

I found this truth in the Bible. I missed it for years and suffered. It was hidden beneath lies I believed instead. But how that happened is a whole other story.

Using 10 truths from the Bible — I’ll show you how you belong in that circle of love.

In this circle of love, you’ll find all you need.

ONE

God IS Love.

This truth is why love is your greatest need. You were created in the image of God — who is love — making love the very fabric of your essence.

You need Love to live and move and be your true self. It’s within that circle of Love you find true life.

Apart from love, there is no real life.

TWO

Everlasting love never ends.

It always existed in God. The God I know is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They live and relate in perfect unity. I call this the original circle of love.

They loved you from the beginning. Before you were born. You are the object of their affection—their favorite.

That’s why God draws you into His circle of love with grace.

THREE

His love came first.

This truth changed everything for me. For years I struggled to believe that God’s love was truly unconditional and I wasn’t excluded as unacceptable.

I’d been sold a lie as a child that God’s love was for everyone but me. Through a traumatic experience at a church that lie taught me the best I could hope for was to be tolerated, and even that had to be earned.

This truth tells us His love isn’t a reward or payment for services rendered.

His love is our source of supply and freely given.

FOUR

He’s serious about His Love for us.

We can get pretty crazy when we want someone to know we love them. For example, think about elaborate proposal plans or surprise parties.

We go to great lengths because they’re important to us.

But what about an enemy? How do you respond to them?

God’s love is bigger than we can fathom without His help.

When we were His enemies. When we didn’t care. Even when we hated Him. He still went crazy to show us His love. He demonstrated His love to the extent of dying. I’d say dying is going pretty crazy to prove your love.

Jesus giving His life for us was an act of faith with no guarantee we’d stop being an enemy to Him because He gives us the choice.

That’s some serious love.

FIVE

Love has no fear.

That’s how God could demonstrate His faith to love us in such a crazy way.

God IS love. He’s also perfect, so His love is perfect and expels all fear.

You’re invited into this miracle of love.

When you don’t believe you’re loved, you don’t need punishment — you just need more of Him.

When you find yourself unable to love others — you simply need to experience His love more fully.

Experiencing this perfect love will change you forever.

SIX

Nothing can separate you from God’s perfect love.

Nothing.

It sounds too good to be true. I know it sounded that way to me.

But I’m living proof.

I discovered this miracle of love is a safe and secure haven. God took care of everything. It’s a done deal.

You can bet your life on it.

SEVEN

How we hear matters.

Dear friends, let us. — I LOVE the tone in that.

A gracious invitation instead of command. Like God reaching out His hand saying:

Come on, let’s do this together.

Without grace, we get into trouble. When we hear a command we have the tendency to react with you can’t tell me what to do because we feel coerced.

Even though loving is something God commands us to do, we can only do it when we hear it through the tone of His loving grace.

Grace changes everything.

EIGHT

Grace says I’m your source.

Jesus delivers the command to love with the tone of grace—as I have loved you.

Demonstration—I did it first.

Empowerment—Let’s do this together.

We only live once. That makes our lives precious.

Jesus demonstrated this greatest love by giving His life for you and me.

This great example of love empowers you to pass the same love on to others.

NINE

Love is above ALL.

Above all—Not some.

This is how important love is.

And not just love—deep love.

Deep love is strong and yields power.

Deep love is empowered by the source of love — God is love.

We screw up. We make mistakes. Hurts take place. When we fail, we want to hide — unless we know it’s safe. We need forgiveness instead of condemnation.

Covering with love provides a safe haven.

TEN

Love IS

Real love is seen because love is a verb. Love is alive.

This most quoted Bible truth about love lists what you expect to see when you’re experiencing love. It tells us how real love behaves.

The attitudes and behaviors on this list are the evidence of love in our lives. The Spirit of grace develops these characteristics within us.

By choosing to live in the circle of love these can be yours. 

What now

Live loved my friend! Choose one of these:

• Leave me a love note in the comments.
• Be convinced of this Love by reading this: Love’s Manifesto
• Improve at loving others by reading this: How to love well
• Know what it means to live loved by reading this: What Does it Mean to Live Loved?
• Read this great book by Bob Goff Love Does
• Take the 7 Day Challenge to Love Yourself: Go here

Danielle Bernock

Author, Coach, and Speaker helping men, women, and organizations EMERGE with clear vision of their value, TAKE ownership of their choices, and CHART a path to their promise, becoming Victorious Souls who Embrace The Change from survive to thrive through the power of the love of God

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