When I suddenly and unexpectedly lost my sight at age 20, I felt hopeless and alone. Despite having a wonderful family who has stood by my side, I still could not shake the sense of isolation and that because of my new circumstances and the anger it brought, I was unlovable.
This feeling only intensified as friendships and relationships crumbled in the wake of my disability that was so unfamiliar to myself and to others.
As the months went by, I learned, however, that there was only one type of love that could allow me to break free of the chains of anger, sadness, and loneliness that my blindness brought…God’s unfailing, unconditional, and ever-present love.
1 John 4:16 says, “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in Him.”
God displayed the ultimate act of love for us when He sent His only Son to die on the cross for our sins. I was raised on this fact, on a strong Christian foundation, but I didn’t really understand the gravity of it until after I lost my sight, when I began to build a relationship with God.
This isn’t surprising when we take into account John’s words in 1 John 4:7, “Whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.”
You see, we have to truly get to know who God is before we can feel, appreciate, and take hold of the love that He is so willing to give.
Have you ever felt God’s love? The Bible says it is patient, kind, enduring and full of truth and hope (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, ESV)
In the midst of the darkness that I faced after losing my sight, this love is what gave me the strength to pick myself up off the floor, move forward, and build a new life despite my hardships.
It is a love that is able to move mountains and is far too precious and joyful to keep to ourselves. In fact, John also says in 1 John 4:11, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
One of the best ways we can do this is through our words. Saying a kind word to a stranger, reciting a Bible verse to a friend in need, or providing a patient response to someone whose words are not so patient are all very simple ways to show God’s love.
Another way we can spread this wonderful gift is through sharing what God has done in our lives, which is my favorite tool.
Our testimonies are very powerful, tangible, and real expressions of how God’s love can change lives.
When we open up, connect to someone on an intimate level, and allow them to see God’s hand through our vulnerability, it can bless them, encourage them, and maybe even change their lives as well.
“No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and His love is perfected in us.” (1 John 4:12, ESV)
I challenge you to love someone today. Whether it is through your words or a simple act of kindness, make God’s love visible through sharing the love He has already poured out on you!
Connect with Sara:
https://www.facebook.com/saraclaudiaministries
https://www.instagram.com/saraclaudia/
About Sara:
Sara Claudia is an author, speaker, podcaster, and radio host who is passionate about encouraging women to “Walk by Faith, Not by Sight.” After suddenly losing her total sight and partial hearing in 2015, she embarked on a journey that both tested and strengthened her faith in the Lord. Through her challenges, she has found an immense amount of joy sharing how God continually turns her trials into even greater triumphs through Sara Claudia Ministries. Sara Claudia’s ultimate goal is that, through her testimony, women will be encouraged to face the trials of this world through their trust in the Lord.
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