16" And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."
Love Is a Choice. God gave us the formula for how to walk in His love. It’s not rocket science. It’s as simple as this, we are to love the Lord our God with all of our hearts, and we are to love our neighbors as ourselves. Two simple commandments: Love God. Love people.
If I’m going to love people, I’ve got to forgive people that I don’t want to forgive. That means I have to let go of the issues that I don’t want to let go of. I have to make a deliberate choice to treat people differently than how I want to treat them. While our natural man, our sin nature, is critical, unforgiving, and unkind, our spirit-man, the part of us renewed by the Spirit of Christ, is sympathetic, merciful, and loving.