How to Love God More Than Yourself?

This is a story of a man stranded on a deserted island. He spends years there, building a life for himself, but he is desperately lonely. One day, he finds a bottle washed ashore with a message inside. It's a letter from someone on another island, expressing friendship and a desire for connection. The lost man is filled with joy. He spends all his time writing messages and waiting excitedly for the next one. His view on life changes. Surviving is no longer his only focus. Now what matters most is the relationship. He finds meaning and joy in loving someone other than himself. You see, we were once stranded, separated from God, but he reached out to us with a message of love. But it wasn't just any message. It was a message written in the very lifeblood of his son. God sacrificed his beloved son Jesus to bridge the gap and offer us a relationship with himself. This is the ultimate act of love. A love that cost him everything. He didn't just send a letter, he sent his son. How can we begin to love him in such a way? With that same selflessness and sacrifice, how can we love God more than we love ourselves? To truly understand how to love God more than ourselves, we first need to understand what love really is. The Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 13 describes it clearly, Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs, love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth, it always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. If you asked God how to love, he wouldn't tell you to look out for yourself. He would point you to Jesus. Jesus showed us perfect love. He did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, spent time with the outcasts and even washed his friends' feet, and in the end, he gave his life for us. Even when he was betrayed and killed, he kept loving and even forgave from the cross. Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. He never leaves us, never forsakes us. Even when we turn away, he remains faithful. As Deuteronomy 31 6 tells us, be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. His love is a constant presence in our lives. He sent his beloved Son to die on the cross for us. This is the ultimate sacrifice, the most profound demonstration of love. John 3 16 says, For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. He keeps us alive, sustaining us every moment. His love is not just a past event, it's an ongoing reality. Psalm 139 13-16 speaks of his intimate involvement in our creation and continued existence. For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. This is a love that meets us where we are and lifts us to where he wants us to be. It's a love that transforms us from the inside out, empowering us to live lives that are pleasing to him. Jesus himself said, A new command I give you, love one another, as I have loved you, so you must love one another. John 13 34. This command isn't simply a suggestion, it is a divine call to imitate the love of Christ, the love that led him to the cross. It's not based on emotion or convenience but on sacrificial action. It isn't about using our limited and often selfish love. It's about tapping into his love, a love that is poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Our natural inclination is to love those who love us, to be kind to those who are kind to us. But Jesus calls us to a higher standard, to love our enemies, to bless those who curse us, and to do good to those who hate us. He also taught us, Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. Matthew 25 40. When we love our neighbor, we are loving God himself. And when we love our neighbor even more, we are loving God even more. How do we do that? Start at home. How often do we overlook those in our own household? Parents, siblings, spouses, children. How easily we become irritated, impatient, or cold toward them. But love begins right there, in the quiet, unseen places of daily life. Choose kindness, offer a helping hand, listen with patience, speak words of encouragement. As Paul wrote, Be devoted to one another in love, honor one another above yourselves, extend this love beyond your household. If you see someone who is homeless begging for food or money, do not look away. Offer help, meet their eyes, speak a kind word, share what you have. You never know how deeply God is working in that moment. As one saint said, The beggar is not asking you for money, he is offering you the kingdom of heaven. In serving the poor, you encounter Christ himself. And if you are holding on to resentment or hatred, release it. Even if your anger feels justified, unforgiveness binds your heart and blocks the flow of divine love. Forgiveness is not weakness, it is the victory of Christ's love over our pain. As Jesus said, By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another. If you ever feel the weight or difficulty of doing something good, ask yourself, If Christ was willing to go to the cross for us, then what is this in comparison to that? As Saint Augustine once said, Our hearts were made for you, O Lord, and they are restless until they rest in you. Let that rest begin with love, the kind of love that comes from God and flows through us to everyone around us. Consider the story of Mary of Bethany. While her sister Martha was busy with the details of hospitality, Mary sat at Jesus' feet, listening to His words. In a moment of love, she poured out expensive perfume on Jesus' head, an act of worship that some considered wasteful. But Jesus recognized the depth of her devotion, her desire to give Him her best, her all. Mary surrendered her agenda, her desire for practicality, to express her love for Jesus. She wasn't concerned about what others thought or whether her actions made sense to the world. Her focus was solely on Jesus, and her love for Him compelled her to give Him the most precious thing she had. Her act of surrender and worship serves as a powerful example of what it means to love God more than ourselves. So, what do we gain by loving God more than ourselves? We gain everything. When we surrender our pride, we receive peace, not temporary relief, but real, lasting calm, a heart no longer at war with itself. When we let go of bitterness, we receive freedom, not just from others, but from the weight we were never meant to carry. When we release control, we find trust, not in outcomes, but in the One who holds them. When we give our hearts to God, He gives us His, a heart that is steady, patient, full of love, and never failing. We stop surviving and start living. We stop striving and start resting. We lose nothing that truly matters and gain everything that truly lasts. This is what happens when we love God more than ourselves. We don't just change, we are made new. Thank you so much for watching this video. I hope it spoke to your heart and helped you take one step closer to God. If you're wondering how to be led by the Holy Spirit, or you're curious about how God speaks to us in our everyday lives, I encourage you to check out some of my previous videos. Thanks again for spending this time with me. God bless and see you soon.