The opening of 1 Corinthians 13 is quite startling, including the statement, “If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing” (verse 3). If I see people in need, begrudgingly give every single thing I own to them, but I don’t genuinely love them, I will not be rewarded by God for that. That is alarming.
I assume we all want to be loving. But what if we don’t feel it? How do you grow in love when you don’t feel loving? I can change my actions relatively easily. But how do I change my feelings? Fortunately, as Jesus said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God” (Luke 18:27).
John Piper provides excellent advice for what practically to do when we don’t feel loving. It is the acronym “A.P.T.A.T.” (pronounced “app-tat”).* Admit that you don’t feel loving. Pray for help. Trust a specific promise. Act (do what you need to do, even if you don’t feel it). Thank God that He gave you the power to act in a loving way.
We can’t will-power our way into genuine love. We need a supernatural miracle to create love within us. So let’s lean on the Holy Spirit. Do the next right thing that’s before you, and trust God to change your heart as you submit your actions to Him.
*Link to article here. Full credit for the acronym to John Piper and the Designing God team.
