The Love You Receive Is the Love You Release

“We love because he first loved us.” - 1 John 4:19 (CSB)

So how do we love the way God's loved us? The Bible is clear: love does not start with you.
You are not the source. You are the recipient.

John says we love because He first loved us. That order matters. When we reverse it, love becomes exhausting. We try to manufacture patience. We force kindness. We fake concern. And eventually, we burn out or grow resentful.

But gospel love works differently.

Christian love is not drawn from emotional reserves or moral strength. It flows from grace received. The more deeply you are convinced that you are loved by God in Christ, the more freely love can move outward from you.

This is why lovelessness often signals a deeper issue than behavior. It usually reveals forgetfulness. We forget the mercy shown to us. We forget the patience extended to us. We forget the forgiveness that cost Jesus His life.

When grace fades from view, love dries up.

But when grace is kept central, love becomes possible again. Not easy. Not effortless. But real.

This is also why comparison kills love. When you believe you have earned God’s favor, you become less patient with others. When you believe grace rescued you, humility grows. Gratitude replaces entitlement. Compassion replaces judgment.

Receiving love is not passive. It requires honesty. It means admitting you need grace daily. It means letting God love you when you feel unlovable. It means resisting the urge to prove yourself and instead resting in what Christ has already done.

Only then does love become something you give freely rather than something you guard tightly.

You cannot release what you refuse to receive.

Today’s invitation is not to try harder to love. It is to return again to the place where love first found you. Sit with the reality that you are known and loved by God. Let that truth soften you. Let it reframe how you see others.

Love released always begins with love received.

Reflection Question
Where have you been trying to give love without first receiving grace from God?

You cannot give what you refuse to receive.

Prayer
Father, thank You for loving me first, fully, and freely through Christ. Forgive me for trying to love others from empty places instead of from grace. Help me receive Your mercy again today so that love can flow outward with humility and compassion. Amen.