How can we avoid being "restricted" in our own affections toward others? Opening the Word “2 Corinthians 6:12: It is not our affection but yours that is restrained.” Paul writes with an open heart and invites the believers in Corinth to do the same. He identifies a problem inside them, not outside. The Spirit keeps this verse alive for every believer, for every relationship. The Problem: Restricted Affection • Affection can shrink through self-protection • A guarded heart limits joy and fellowship • Restraint on the inside eventually shows on the outside in coldness, distance, or indifference Why Hearts Close Up • Unforgiveness that lingers (Ephesians 4:31-32) • Pride that refuses vulnerability (Philippians 2:3) • Fear of being taken advantage of (1 John 4:18) • Double-minded loyalties that compete with love for God’s people (James 4:4) • Weariness in well-doing (Galatians 6:9) God’s Remedy: “Open Wide Your Hearts” Verse 13 follows Paul’s appeal: “In return—I speak as to my children—open wide your hearts also.” The Spirit urges believers to match Paul’s wide-open affection. The command is doable because love is already poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). How to Keep Affection Flowing • Remember the source: “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19) • Abide in Christ’s love daily (John 15:9) • Choose forgiveness quickly, before bitterness sets in (Colossians 3:13) • Practice humility that values others above self (Philippians 2:4) • Speak truth in love, not in anger or manipulation (Ephesians 4:15) • Stay clear of unequal yoking that dulls spiritual affections (2 Corinthians 6:14) • Serve actively; love grows by use, not by storage (Galatians 5:13) Daily Practices That Stretch the Heart • Start each morning by thanking God for His unrestrained affection • Ask the Spirit to show one person to bless with a call, message, or act of service • Replace critical thoughts with intercession for the same person • Keep short accounts: confess sin and clear misunderstandings before sunset (Ephesians 4:26) • Memorize passages on love: 1 Corinthians 13, Romans 12:9-10, 1 Peter 1:22 Encouragement from the Wider Witness of Scripture • Proverbs 11:25: “A generous soul will prosper, and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.” • Luke 6:38: “Give, and it will be given to you.” • Hebrews 13:1: “Let brotherly love continue.” • 1 Thessalonians 3:12: “May the Lord cause you to increase and overflow with love for one another and for everyone.” Living It Out Together Unrestricted affection is not naïve sentimentality; it is Spirit-empowered obedience. When believers live with hearts wide open, fellowship deepens, witness brightens, and the body of Christ displays the love that first captured it. |
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