Sanctified Steps: Love That Begins with God| 1 John 4:19 (KJV)

 

Love that Begins With God| 1 John 4:19

📖 Scripture:

“We love him, because he first loved us.” — 1 John 4:19 (KJV)

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Devotional:

This simple statement carries profound truth. Love does not begin with us — it begins with God.

Before we learned how to love, before we understood grace, before we ever reached for Him, He loved us first. His love was not a response to our goodness or faithfulness. It was an act of divine initiative.

God’s love sets the foundation for every relationship we have — with Him and with others. It teaches us what love truly is: patient, sacrificial, forgiving, and enduring. When we struggle to love — when wounds run deep or hearts feel weary — this verse reminds us that love is not something we must generate on our own.

We love because we are loved.

God’s love heals what is broken, softens what is hardened, and restores what fear has damaged. When we receive His love fully, it flows outward naturally — shaping how we speak, forgive, and serve.

Love rooted in God is never empty.
It is always sustained by grace.

Reflection:

• Have you been trying to love others without first resting in God’s love?
• How does knowing that God loved you first change the way you view yourself?
• In what areas of your life is God inviting you to love from His strength rather than your own?

Daily Wisdom Insight:

God’s love is the source — our love is the reflection.

Practical Application:

Today, take a quiet moment to acknowledge God’s love for you.

Ask yourself:

“Am I loving others from obligation, or from gratitude?”

In prayer, say:

“Lord, thank You for loving me first. Help me love others from the fullness of what You have given.”

This week, allow God’s love to guide your words, responses, and actions — especially in moments when love feels difficult.

Prayer:

Father,

Thank You
for loving me first,
before I understood,
before I deserved,
before I believed.

Help me receive Your love
without resistance
and share it without fear.

Heal the places in my heart
that struggle to love freely.

Let Your love flow through me
with patience,
with compassion,
and with truth.

Teach me to love
as a reflection of You.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

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💬 Discussion Questions:

1. Why is it sometimes easier to give love than to receive it?
2. How does God’s unconditional love shape the way we love others?
3. What would change in your daily walk if you truly rested in being loved by God?

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