How can I love God and other people like God loves us?

That is a very awesome question! And the honest truth is, you can’t! I have to tell you that up front so that you don’t put so much pressure on yourself because the truth is NO ONE can love as unconditionally, immensely and infinitely as God can.

The reason is because God’s love is perfect. He can’t ever not love us! He can’t hate us. He can’t get sick of us. His love is unconditional. The Holy Bible uses a Greek word, “agape,” to describe God’s love for us. There isn’t even an English translation for it. It’s basically a deep, deep, unconditional love for us.

So, why can’t we love God or others like that? It’s because of our sin nature. This is the sin that was handed down from us from the time of Adam and Eve, Our sinful nature puts conditions on our love … sometimes even with God! We are imperfect beings so we can’t love perfectly. At some point will get mad or hurt and pull our love back just a bit. God doesn’t do that.

But, does that mean we shouldn’t love God or people? Absolutely not! In fact, when asked by His disciple s what the greatest commandment was, Jesus said:

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)

Do you see what Jesus says? Not love the Lord with all His heart but our own! Our own imperfect hearts … the hearts that sometimes break, the hearts that sometimes grow tired of loving and the hearts that sometimes falter because of anger. So, we’re to love God with all our heart, with all our soul and with all our mind. We’re to love God as best we can. Then, we’re to love our neighbor as ourselves.

So, how can we do that? Through prayer. Through service. Through random acts of kindness. Remember what Jesus says:

“Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” (John 14:21)

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:12)

“This is my command: Love each other.” (John 15:17)

“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40)

God bless you!