The First Habit of Atomic Love

The first habit needed to live from a place of abiding love for others is to sincerely seek God. This is the filling station. It is the source for this love to arrive and overflow. When I find myself short on love, feeling empty and burnt out, I know that I have tried to do things through my own power and my own strength.

Overflowing love is a gift given when in connection to God. I think with sorrow when a notably religious person is also known for being unkind and deeply unloving. A movie is coming out exposing this type of unkindness. It is from a book written by Claire Keegan, Small Things like These. The story tells of a man’s journey to be courageous. He must stand against the authority of the church and the social conformity of the community to protect the vulnerable from abuse.

I think about this at the small atomic habit level. I can memorize scripture and in the same breath have a short tone of voice with my husband. I can pray for my children in ways that advance my own ego rather than conform to God’s plan. I can boldly proclaim the gospel and yet look without mercy on those who have made different moral choices than me.

How easy the pretense of love for God soothes me into complacency. I delight in my holiness rather than in seeking Jesus. A quick barometer is to measure my love. Do those around me experience my overflowing love and care?

This is the fruit of sincere love for God. Atomic level love comes from the habit of seeking God above all.

“God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.” – 1 John 4:16