Fruit of the Spirit: LOVE
Week 1 — Still Becoming. Still Seeking. Still Learning to Love.
Galatians 5:22–23
1 Corinthians 13:4–7
John 13:34–35
1 John 4:7–12
When you hear the word love, what is the first thing that comes to mind?
For many of us, if we are honest, our thoughts immediately drift toward romantic love, relationships, dating, or the hope of one day meeting “the person.” Culture has trained us to associate love primarily with romance, which can make it feel like something we are either experiencing or waiting for.
I know for me personally, there have been moments where I have caught myself thinking, “I know God loves me, but I still feel like I am waiting for love.” As someone who is very much single, it can be easy to believe that love is something that has not fully arrived in my life yet. There can be a quiet assumption that love will come later, when a relationship enters the picture.
However, when we look at Scripture, we quickly realize that this understanding of love is far too narrow.
In Galatians 5:22–23, love is listed first among the fruits of the Spirit. This is not by accident. Love is foundational. It is not simply one fruit among many, but rather the root from which all the other fruits grow.
The love described in Scripture is not based on feelings or circumstances. It is not conditional, temporary, or dependent on another person’s response. Instead, it is what the Bible refers to as agape love, which is a selfless, sacrificial, and unwavering love that comes directly from God.
1 John 4:7 tells us that love is from God. This means that love is not something we have to strive to create on our own. It is something we receive from Him and then reflect into the world around us.
Over time, God has been gently reshaping my understanding of love. While I may not currently be in a romantic relationship, I have begun to see that my life is far from lacking love.
I see love in friendships where conversations turn into prayer without hesitation. I see it in the people who consistently show up, not because they have to, but because they care deeply. I see it in my family, who has supported me through every season, and in the community around me that continues to encourage and challenge me in my faith.
Love has never actually been absent from my life. Instead, I had unintentionally limited my definition of what love could look like.
1 Corinthians 13:4–7 gives us one of the clearest pictures of what love truly looks like. It describes love as patient and kind. It tells us that love does not envy or boast, that it is not self-seeking, and that it keeps no record of wrongs. It also reminds us that love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.
What is striking about this passage is that none of these characteristics are tied to relationship status. Every single one of them is a choice. Love, in its truest form, is not simply something we feel; it is something we actively live out in the way we treat others.
Jesus reinforces this in John 13:34–35 when He commands us to love one another just as He has loved us. This sets the standard for our love, not based on culture or convenience, but based on the example of Christ Himself.
Understanding love from a biblical perspective changes how we approach our daily lives. It reminds us that we are not lacking love simply because we are not in a romantic relationship. Instead, we are surrounded by opportunities to both receive and give love in meaningful ways every single day.
Love is expressed in the way we speak to others, in how we respond when we are frustrated, and in how we choose to show up for the people around us. It is seen in our willingness to forgive, to serve, and to extend grace even when it is difficult.
When we begin to view love through this lens, we realize that the fruit of love is already growing in our lives as we walk with the Spirit.
As we begin this summer series on the fruits of the Spirit, instead of trying to do all of these at once, take a slower, more intentional approach. Over the next two weeks, choose one of these each day and allow it to be your focus. Let it shape how you respond, how you show up, and how you love the people around you. This is not about perfection, but about practicing a life led by the Spirit.
Choose to respond with patience, especially in moments of frustration.
Speak with kindness, even when it is not returned to you.
Take time to intentionally encourage someone in your life.
Practice forgiveness, even when it feels undeserved.
Be fully present in conversations by setting aside distractions.
Pray for others instead of forming quick judgments.
Reach out to a friend simply to check in.
Celebrate the successes of others without comparison.
Serve someone quietly without seeking recognition.
Release the habit of keeping score in relationships.
Show up for others, even when it requires sacrifice.
Choose to believe the best about people rather than assuming the worst.
Extend grace to yourself in the same way God does.
Begin each day by asking God who you can love well.
Reflection Questions
When you think about love, what has shaped your understanding of it the most?
In what ways might you have been limiting your definition of love?
Where do you currently see evidence of God’s love in your life?
Which characteristic of love in 1 Corinthians 13 do you find most challenging to live out?
Who in your life might need to experience intentional love from you this week?
How would your perspective shift if you truly believed that you are not lacking love?
It is possible that love is not something you are waiting to experience in the future, but something you are already walking in today. The fruit of love is less about finding a specific person and more about becoming someone who reflects the heart of Jesus in every area of life.
God,
Thank You for defining love in a way that goes far beyond what the world teaches us. Thank You for loving us with a love that is steady, selfless, and unchanging.
Help us to receive Your love fully so that we can reflect it well to others. Teach us how to love in our friendships, in our families, and in our communities. Show us how to live this out in the small, everyday moments.
Remind us that we are not lacking love, because we are rooted in You.
As we move forward, help us to love boldly and faithfully in every season.
Amen.
