If ever there was an example of how we should respond to those who abuse us it is Joseph. Think about the all he suffered at the hand of his brothers, yet he said to them, “it was not you that sent me hither, but God–“(Gen 45:8),”...ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good“( Gen. 50:20). That’s amazing! And God expects us to have the same attitude. He says, “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21). So how are you doing at that? Be honest–God knows, and it probably shows. Some folks don’t even return good with good, let alone good for evil. They are unloving and unkind, yet we are to love them anyway.

“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. “–2 Cor. 3:18

I met Major Ian Thomas in Jackson, Tn. more than 40 years ago and was greatly impressed. You can check out his biography on Wikipedia and I suspect you will be impressed also. I met him at a time in my life when I was running myself ragged trying to serve the Lord and in great need of learning what he speaks about in the following comments.

After surrendering to preach at the age of 15 he later started a “slum club” down in the East End of London “out of a sheer desire to win souls, to go out and get them. I was a windmill of activity until, at the age of nineteen, every moment of my day was packed tight with doing things. Thus by the age of nineteen, I had been reduced to a state of complete exhaustion spiritually, until I felt that there was no point going on.” Listen carefully to what he says next, “Then, one night in November, that year, just at midnight, I got down on my knees before God, and I just wept in sheer despair. I said, ‘With all my heart I have wanted to serve Thee. I have tried to my uttermost and I am a hopeless failure.’ That night things happened. The Lord seemed to make plain to me that night, through my tears of bitterness: ‘You see, for seven years, with utmost sincerity, you have been trying to live for Me, on My behalf, the life that I have been waiting for seven years to live through you.'” Thomas later reflected: “I got up the next morning to an entirely different Christian life, but I want to emphasize this: I had not received one iota more than I had already had for seven years!”

Now here’s the quote I want you to remember, “Godliness is not the consequence of your capacity to imitate God but the consequence of His capacity to reproduce Himself in you. It is not self-righteousness but Christ-righteousness, the righteousness that is by faith—a faith that by renewed dependence upon God releases His divine action to restore the marred image of the invisible God.”

Considering His greatness how can we not think of Him? Nothing more glorious can be found. As the very first verse says, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty”. Although he goes on there is no need to say more than that. Read it if you will and behold His greatness, but we should need no more than the experience of our own conversion to say ” I think of my blessed Redeemer, I think of Him all the day long”. Indeed, and when we do that such gladness will flood our heart that we will go on to say, ” I sing, for I cannot be silent; His love is the theme of my song”. Isn’t that exactly what we see in this Psalm–“I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.” (vs. 33).

“And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. “–1 Corinthians 13:13

We hear it said, “You can be whatever you want to be.” That advice should have these two words added: “within reason.” Try as they might, some people will never become Olympic athletes, astronauts, concert violinists, or Arctic explorers. They may be too old or too young, lack the necessary ability, or have started too late in life. No amount of desire or willpower can overcome some obstacles in life.

The same is true when it comes to manifesting love of a supernatural quality. It is not part of man’s natural constitution to love selflessly, sacrificially, or unconditionally. That doesn’t mean it never happens in the natural world. It simply means it is contrary, in the long run, to man’s self-centered motivation. We cannot  naturally  love like God, but we can  supernaturally  love like God. Paul writes that, by the indwelling Spirit of God, we can manifest God-like love: “The fruit of the Spirit is love . …” (Galatians 5:22). If God is love, and God indwells us by His Spirit, we can love as He loves.

Ask God to empower you with His Spirit daily to display the love of God to everyone you meet.(Turning Point)