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New-Hearted Love
As a new creation, you’re designed to love others. That’s how God made you at your core. You actually want and are fulfilled by opportunities to give love. But, if you’re giving out of guilt or pressure or resentment, that’s not the way your new heart is designed to function.
God’s love is freely given.
When a demand is placed on you, it can result in a sense of obligation over the short term and resentment and burnout in the long run. This is giving in a way that God never intended for you. Yes, there will be sacrificial giving, but if it’s tied to “I sacrificed, therefore you should too,” then it’s not the way of the new heart.
Over time, some people grow in giving more. Others grow in saying “no” more and setting boundaries in order to discover how their new heart is really leading them. We grow in learning to receive love, even when our feelings tell us we’re not worthy.
The new heart listens. The new heart loves. The new heart respects. The new heart empathizes. The new heart trusts. The new heart gives without a “tit for tat” attitude of retribution or reprisal.
When you realize this about the new heart God gave you, relating to others is not as hard as you thought. It’s all heart-wired within you. You actually want to love others in this way. You can simply offer yourself to God: Jesus, inspire me today to express You to [my friend, spouse, or family member], to meet his/her needs. Use my eyes to love them, my hands to serve them, my ears to listen and make them feel heard, respected, and cherished.
The imperatives in the New Testament are descriptive, not only prescriptive. They reveal the desires of your heart. That’s why the instruction is so pure and direct. God never tells you to love the best you can. That would imply a heart that might not desire to love. Instead, the New Testament imperatives assume you have a willing and able heart that agrees perfectly with God.
Isn’t that beautiful?
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About this Plan
Do you - as a believer - have a "deceitful" and "wicked" heart? Should your heart be tested, not trusted? If that's what you believe, your spiritual experience will be one of duty and obligation. This reading plan invites you to a new way to live. You’ll be inspired by the new, beautiful heart God gave you and discover freedom and closeness with Him like you've never experienced before.
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