Our verse, which we’ll get to, is Romans 5:5. But first, a grammar lesson, “I kicked the ball.” The subject is I, the verb is kicked, the object is the ball. “He told me.” He is the subject, told is the verb, me is the object. “You bought the groceries.” You don’t just buy; you buy something. Buy, told—they have to have an object. You can’t just tell. You have to tell someone. And you can’t just love. You have to love someone or something. Love has an object. Love is directed at someone or something.

If we are always loving someone or something, can you say that your love is directed at God and others? When, in your day, is your love directed at yourself instead? We have no command to love ourselves. We are told everyone does that quite naturally; everyone is naturally self-focused. We direct our attention on ourselves. What we are told to do, commanded to do, is love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Ask Him to show you where you are directing your love elsewhere. Then choose to get rid of that love. Ask for His help. Ask Him to fill you with His perfect love in its place.

Do you know what His perfect love is? Romans 5:5 “…the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (NKJV). Have you ever wanted more Holy Spirit in your life? More holiness? More power? More fruit? There’s a way to increase. The Holy Spirit in us is God’s perfect love in our hearts. His perfect love loves God and loves others. When we remove false love from our lives, we make room for God’s true love to take its place.