Loving Like Jesus When It’s Hard: Choosing God Over Self
There’s a powerful truth tucked inside Romans 12:21: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Joyce Meyer reminds us that this one verse—if lived out—can completely change our lives.
In a world full of self-interest, she calls us to live intentionally—choosing less of ourselves and more of God. This message challenges us to love, even when it costs us. Joyce shares heartfelt stories from her own life: moments she gave when she didn’t want to, helped those who once hurt her, and forgave people who never apologized. These weren’t easy decisions—they were sacrifices of love. But they were also victories of faith.
She recounts her daughter’s unexpected blessing from a stranger who paid for her groceries, and her son buying jeans for a stranger. These acts weren’t accidents; they were intentional choices to love. Joyce reminds us that real Christianity isn’t found in our words, but in what we’re willing to do for others, especially when it’s inconvenient.
She tells us honestly: she didn’t want to care for her aging parents. But God asked her to, and she obeyed—not because she felt like it, but because obedience is love in action. “You don’t have to feel like doing what’s right to do what’s right,” she says. That’s where maturity begins.
Joyce walks us through Philippians 3, where Paul declares that his greatest goal isn’t achievement or comfort—but knowing Christ deeply. It’s a radical calling: not just to know about Jesus, but to truly know Him—through both resurrection power and personal sacrifice. Real transformation happens when we choose God’s will over our own.
And that includes forgiveness. Joyce challenges us to forgive not for their sake, but for ours. “Even if they don’t deserve forgiveness, you deserve peace.” Letting go frees us. Holding on only binds us.
Through it all, she points to love—not as a feeling, but as a choice. “Love your enemies,” she says, “and the power of the enemy is broken.” Anyone can love those who love them—but Jesus calls us to a higher standard. To love when it’s hard. To give when it’s undeserved. To forgive when it costs us.
She ends with the moving story of Roia, a little girl from India orphaned by AIDS, rejected by her community—but embraced by God. Roia’s journey from heartbreak to healing, from being abandoned to becoming a doctor, wife, and mother, shows us what love can do. One act of kindness led to miracles. One choice to love changed everything.
Joyce’s message is simple but profound: Real love shows up. It serves. It sacrifices. It keeps going when it’s not easy. Because that’s how Jesus loves us.