A woman who walks with God walks with love. Love is her walking partner on the road through life. Love navigates the bends, slopes, and rocks alongside her. Love lifts her up when she starts to fall and love gives her the ability to keep going when she really wants to quit. Love whispers words of comfort and hope but also words of wisdom and truth. Love covers her with mercy under showers of guilt and grounds her with grace against winds of unworthiness. Love fills her with joy. Love takes her the long way with the beautiful scenery. Love takes steps that she can keep up with, but love also challenges her to grow—to take bigger, stronger steps. Love doesn’t leave her behind on the bad days, or bad months, or bad years. Love reminds her that even when the road is rough, she’s going to make it! Love is her safety, her guide, her helper, and her friend. A woman who walks with God is walking with love because God is love.
A woman who lives with God in her and around her every day will live a life of love. Love will encompass her and define her. It will spill out of her because she is overflowing with the love of God. You’ll know a woman who walks with God when you are around her—you’ll know her by her love. Here are some things you’ll see:
You’ll see a woman who loves God more than anything.
In Matthew 22:36, when Jesus was asked the question, “Which is the great commandment in the law?”, He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” Jesus explained that this is the first and greatest commandment. A woman who walks with God loves Him the most, and she loves Him with all of her being. She puts Him above everything and everyone else. She keeps the first and greatest command by upholding God as her first and greatest love.
You’ll see a woman who loves people.
The text in Matthew 22 continues as Jesus stated to the crowd the second great command of the law: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” A woman who walks with God cares about others, extending to them the same kindness that she offers herself. She lives the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:12, “whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them.” She looks for opportunities to do good for people, to show them the love of Jesus, and to make them feel loved.
You’ll see a woman who knows God deeply.
In 1 John 4:8 we read, “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. A woman who walks with God knows God and, so, knows love. She doesn’t just read about God or talk about God; she is in a true covenant relationship with Him. She draws herself into His presence daily. She longs for Him, as David did, and as he described many times in his songs and prayers: “O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary to see Your power and Your glory” (Psalm 63:1–2).
You’ll see a woman who loves her Christian family.
A woman who walks with God loves her Christian brothers and sisters and believes that the world will recognize followers of Jesus because of the love that they have for each other (John 13:35). She understands that the church belonging to Jesus Christ was built on love (John 3:16; Ephesians 5:25)—love is the foundation!—and because love is the foundation, it is the most important thing. When the world sees the church, they should see love. A woman who walks with God knows this, and she lives a life of love as a citizen of His kingdom.
You’ll see a woman who keeps God’s word.
In John 13–16, with Jesus’ arrest approaching and His time on earth drawing to a close, He took time to speak words of instruction and encouragement to His disciples. Twice, on this occasion, Jesus told them that if they loved Him, they would obey Him: “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15); “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word” (John 15:23–24). A woman who walks with God loves God, and because she loves God, she loves His word; and because she loves His word, she listens to His word and follows it from day to day.
You’ll see a woman who loves those who oppose her or disagree with her.
“Love your enemies,” Jesus told the crowd, gathered on the side of the mountain, “bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). A woman who walks with God loves people anyway. Is there someone who has hurt her feelings in the past? She loves them anyway. Is there someone who has offended her or has spoken unkindly to her? She loves them anyway. She not only loves her enemies, she speaks blessings on their behalf and she prays for them.
You’ll see a woman who does everything with love.
It was among the last words Paul wrote in His first letter to the church in Corinth: “Let all that you do be done with love” (1 Corinthians 16:14). A woman who walks with God is motivated by love in what she says and does. At the front of her mind, always, is the highest good for others. Her actions are prefaced with the questions, “How will this affect the people around me?” and “How will this reflect the goodness and love of Christ?” And even more, she doesn’t demonstrate love for any benefit of her own, she does it because it brings glory to God (1 Corinthians 10:31).
You’ll see a woman who does not fear what comes after this life.
In his first letter, the Apostle John wrote these words: “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love” (1 John 4:17–18). A woman who continues to walk with God will notice a change as the days pass. She will be changed in ways that can only happen to one who allows herself to be changed by the Holy God. She is being changed into the likeness of His Son, a sanctifying process that comes through pruning, shaping, refining, and polishing—it is a process of growth that leads to maturity. It is that mature love that drives away the fear of judgment. She anticipates eternity with joy—where love lives forever without end. With God as a walking partner through life, there is no fear in taking the last step that leads out of this world and into the next. There is no fear because there is perfect love.