When You Choose to Love Because of Jesus, Death Will Never Be the End But It’s the Beginning

Jesus says in John 13:35, “By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples if you have loved one another.” LOVE. This is one of Jesus’s most important words. He wanted us to take good care of our brothers and sisters. He encouraged us to serve those who are in need and broken. This command sounds simple and easy, but in reality, it’s sometimes challenging to obey. Especially when we meet broken and difficult people. It’s not easy to serve those who hurt us. It’s painful.

Whether we like it or not, we will meet someone along the way who will challenge our faith. They are those who carry their past in an unhealthy way. And sadly, some of them unknowingly pass the pain to others. Instead of going through the healing process, they choose to look for temporary remedies. These individuals are scared to expose the wounds inside. Sometimes, they would look for instant ways to ignore and hide their true emotions. Instead of facing it, these people keep the burdens and pain alone. And when unexpected things happen, they suddenly burst, and uncontrollable emotions surface.

These people need love. And Jesus called us to love them. Now, the challenging part happens when He asks us to keep on serving and loving them despite the pain we receive. It becomes difficult when He convicts us to respect and stay kind to them despite what they did. We need to deny our selfish desires. We need to learn how to bow down and do His will. We need to humbly abide in His instructions despite the tears. That’s the reason why loving someone is sometimes difficult. It’s like dying to self.

But your journey with Jesus doesn’t only end in death. In fact, it’s just the beginning. After the dying process is the resurrection, you will rise from the grave. The time will come when the love you offer for others will bear fruit. It will lead you to experience more of God. You will overcome the pain simply because of Jesus. What He did on the cross is a testimony that Jesus had already won the victory. He already conquered the pain of loving the people who broke your heart. And as long as you stay with Him, you will also experience the same victory in His arms.