Topic:  Stand by the People You Love  [RICK WARREN Devotional 22 February 2020]

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BY RICK WARREN — FEBRUARY 22, 2020

“Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty” (Job 6:14 NIV).If you have a spouse or a friend or a loved one who’s walked away from God, you cannot walk away from them. God wants you to know that they need you now more than ever!

The Bible says, “Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of the Almighty” (Job 6:14 NIV). When your loved one is in such a place that they say, “I am in so much pain, I don’t even know if I believe in God right now,” you can say to them, “That’s okay. I’ll believe God for you. I’ll stand by you and carry you through this until God restores what has been lost.”

Lasting love refuses to give up on someone. You can know this because Jesus modeled this kind of love for you. When you were dead in sin, he didn’t walk away. He didn’t just wait it out. He didn’t hold it against you. He didn’t even expect you to pay for what you’d done.

Instead, Jesus believed in you. He saw what you could become with his righteousness. He loved you so perfectly and so unconditionally that he was willing to receive the punishment for your sin. He took on your pain and promised to walk through life with you and give you the hope of heaven.

Who in your life needs you to show them a glimpse of God’s love by extending grace, expressing faith, and enduring the worst with them?

• When has someone you loved refused to give up on you, even when you were at your worst? What was the result?
• What is your first reaction when you hear that someone has had a crisis of faith and is struggling to believe in God? What would you say to them when you see them in person?
• In what specific ways has Jesus’ love for you changed the way you love others?

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