For a long time, I looked at faith like a mountain to be climbed or a set of hoops to jump through. But the more I sit with the simplest, most profound statement in the Bible—God is love—the more the mountain levels out. I’ve realized that being close to God isn’t about climbing; it’s about alignment.
If God is love, then every time I choose to love, I am stepping into His space. I am vibrating at the same frequency as the Divine.
The Shift from Judge to Bridge
I used to think my job was to discern who was “right” and who was “wrong.” But I’ve come to see that carrying a gavel is heavy work, and frankly, it’s a seat I wasn’t meant to sit in. When I take it upon myself to judge others, I am accidentally building walls—barriers that don’t just keep people away from me, but might actually keep them from seeing the heart of God.
My perspective now is simple: I leave the judgment to God. By dropping the need to assess or critique, I am free to do the one thing I was actually commanded to do: Love. When I lead with love—especially when it is wildly inconvenient or when the person “doesn’t deserve it”—I become a bridge instead of a wall. I want to create a space where others feel safe enough to drop their own defenses and, perhaps for the first time, feel the warmth of a God who is for them.
Love in the Friction
It’s easy to love when it’s convenient. But I’ve learned that real alignment happens in the friction. It’s in the moments where I’m tired, or when someone is being difficult, or when helping costs me something I didn’t want to give.
In those “inconvenient” moments, my love isn’t just a feeling; it’s a choice. It’s a reflection of Agape—the self-sacrificing love that God showed us first. By choosing to love in the mess, I am aligning my heart with His. I’m not doing it to “earn” points; I’m doing it because that is where He is.
If I want to be near Him, I have to go where Love goes.
Heartitude Reflection: The Alignment Check
To help move this from a thought to a lived practice, take a moment today to sit with these three questions:
- Where am I holding a gavel? Is there someone in my life I am currently judging or “categorizing”? What would happen if I consciously handed that judgment back to God and replaced it with a simple act of kindness?
- Is my love “convenient”? Think of a situation today that feels like an interruption or a burden. Can I reframe that “inconvenience” as a unique opportunity to align myself with God’s nature?
- Am I a bridge or a barrier? If someone’s only interaction with “faith” today was through my attitude, would they feel invited in or pushed away?
The Goal: Today, don’t worry about being “right.” Just focus on loving.