This article is an excerpt from the Shortform book guide to "Everybody Always" by Bob Goff. Shortform has the world's best summaries and analyses of books you should be reading.
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Are you trying to find Jesus in your life? Why is finding Jesus the most important step in finding yourself?
In his book Everybody, Always, Bob Goff says that only when you learn to become love can you find Jesus. That’s because when you learn to love your enemies is when you learn who you truly are.
Keep reading to learn how to find Jesus by finding yourself.
Find Yourself by Finding Jesus
According to Bob Goff in Everybody, Always, you’re not likely to meet Jesus as Himself in the living world. But you interact with Jesus every day because Jesus is inside everyone. God made everyone in His image. When you love only the people who are easy to love, you’re only acquainting yourself with part of Jesus. If you’re set on finding Jesus fully, you must love everyone always.
Jesus advised people to “love thy enemies.” The word “enemies” is not being used literally. You likely don’t have many true enemies, but you do know people who you disagree with or who live different lives than you, maybe even lifestyles you don’t believe in. Those are the people you should love because that is how you truly come to know who you are.
When you start to learn about who you are, you might be scared to look at your weaknesses or areas for growth. You may become lost for a minute as you try to piece yourself together. You don’t need to be ashamed if this happens to you. God isn’t judging you for taking the journey to discover who you are under His love. He doesn’t withhold his love because you’re questioning yours. God knows who you are, and He wants you to discover it. He is with you along the journey and provides guidance for you to find the missing pieces. He knows where the journey ends and wants you to get there so you can become the version of yourself He created you to be.
What stops most of us from taking that journey is our desire to feel confident and validated. We express this through our opinions, which we often force onto others. But you can’t change people by fighting with them, and being right is not the same as showing love. When your love becomes a bridge to close the gap between you and another, not only do you help those around you, but you also find yourself.
God gave you the gift of love because love is your main function. You were made to love others, and it’s an ongoing occupation, not a momentary burst of character found when you decide to live like Jesus. You must push past your comfort zone and reexamine what you believe love means. Love takes work, patience, and modesty, and these actions are harder to fulfill the more disagreeable you find someone. But you must give love to your fullest capacity to live your true life as Jesus intended. To become love, love people as Jesus loves you: unconditionally and always.
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Like what you just read? Read the rest of the world's best book summary and analysis of Bob Goff's "Everybody Always" at Shortform .
Here's what you'll find in our full Everybody Always summary :
- How to live your life like Jesus lived his
- Why you need to open yourself up to God's love and give love to others
- How to deepen your faith by focusing on love rather than showing that you "agree" with God
