Choose Love

Each moment of our lives, we either choose love or something else. When we choose love, we experience peace. We feel confident, serene, and happy. We recognize that as children of God, we are born to love. Love is our nature. Love is our mission. Love is our gift.

When we choose anything else, we may feel sad, bitter, angry, or apathetic. When we lose sight of love, we may succumb to self-pity, addictive behaviors, or selfishness. Although those habits may bring temporary pleasure, they will not give us permanent peace. Only love does that.
In a world filled with conflict and violence, it is possible to choose love. We do it by doing the following:

• Fill your heart with loving thoughts. Replace and eliminate those that are not. When a contentious, judgmental thought enters your mind, recognize it as a non-loving thought and refuse to entertain it.

• Surround yourself with loving friends, people who truly love God, themselves, and others. Our power to love others increases when we access the energy of people who love.

• Surrender to the power of God’s love. Spend time daily praying and meditating on His love. Ask Him to show you how to love yourself and others better. He will.

• Accept the fact that no one is perfect. Allow others to make mistakes just as you do. Celebrate the good in others, even those who seem unlovable, for those people are hungry for love.

• As you focus your thoughts on love, speak words of love and encouragement to others. Smile often. Allow yourself to become an instrument of God’s love.

• Become an active listener. When others are speaking, seek to understand them and edify them.

• Seek to serve as your energy and circumstances permit.

Prayer is the heart of love. Kind words are the expression of love. Compassionate service is the instrument of love. When we love others, that love returns to us multiplied. As we sow thoughts, words, and deeds of love, we reap a rich harvest of peace and joy.

Love gives purpose and meaning to our lives. Learning to love God completely and to love ourselves and others unconditionally is the secret to finding peace amid sorrow.

Love, some day, will heal the world.

Soren Kierkegaard said, “When one has once fully entered the realm of love, the world—no matter how how imperfect—becomes rich and beautiful; it consists solely of opportunities for love.”


© Carol Brown