A Love That Flows Beyond Us — Colossians 1:8 Encouragement for Your Heart

Cindy Warner
Oct 4
2 min read

I want to share something special the Holy Spirit keeps putting on my heart—something I believe will lift us all up as we walk through Colossians together.

The Verse That Won’t Let Go

"He has told us about your love in the Spirit." — Colossians 1:8

For weeks, this verse has popped into my head at the most unexpected times—doing dishes, driving, or even in the middle of the night. I started realizing: God wants me to pay attention!

What’s “Love in the Spirit” Really Mean?

It’s not just “being nice” or loving people who are easy to love. The Colossian believers had a reputation for something much deeper:

“Love in the Spirit” is God’s power at work in us—loving through us, even when we feel empty or tired.
It’s love that goes beyond our own strength, patience, or mood.

Picture This:

Imagine your heart as a garden hose. On your own, you might have just enough “water” to take care of your flowers—or maybe not even that on a rough day! But when you let the Holy Spirit fill you, it’s like connecting your little hose to a mighty river. Suddenly there’s more than enough not just for you, but for the people all around you.

How Do We See This Love?

Forgiving the tough stuff: When you forgive someone and don’t even understand how you could, that’s Spirit-powered love.
Being kind on a bad day: When you surprise yourself by being gentle or patient even when you’re worn out, that’s Jesus loving others through you.
Loving the “unlovable”: That’s where God’s kind of love really shines, and where people notice, “Wow, there’s something real about their faith.”

Why Does This Matter?

Paul didn’t praise the Colossians for fancy buildings or big programs. What made them “famous” was their supernatural love—love that people could see was different from anything else in town.

I believe the Holy Spirit wants that for us too—for our group, our church, our families. Imagine what our world would be like if people saw Jesus’ love flowing out of us!

If This Verse is Tugging at Your Heart...

Let’s not ignore it. Maybe God is giving you (and me) a gentle invitation:

To say “yes” to His help loving someone who’s hard to love
To let go of trying to do it all ourselves, and instead ask Him for His unending supply
To trust that Spirit-love is possible, even on our weakest days

A Simple Prayer to Try This Week

Holy Spirit, I can’t love like You without Your help. Let your love spill out in my words, attitudes, and actions. Let others see Your heart shining through me. Amen.