Love will find a way

What does it mean to love? If you ask fifty people I assure you that you will get fifty different answers. A question that simple should have an answer equally as simple. All your life you have heard the wisdom of the ages tell you that there is a fine line between love and hate, which begs the next question, what does it mean to hate? If these two emotions are so closely connected do either truly exist?

Love in my humble opinion is a moving target, it changes as life circumstances change, but there is a love that at it's very core seldom ever changes. The love of our children is as deep as it can possibly get. All other love can come and go but that love withstands the test of time. 

Hate on the other hand rarely exist in the way the word denotes. Hate is a very harsh word for a temporary emotion. I recall the old quote that says "you should never judge someone, because you do not know the battles they are fighting". This is true when people do things to us or others that causes us to develop an emotion or feeling of hate. It is not natural to hate any living being which means that the behavior itself causes negative effects on all parties involved. I do not want to spend too much time discussing hate in this blog because it is no where near as important as understanding love. 

If you believe in God and even further you believe in a God of love then you can understand his love for us especially if you have children. I know that there is plenty of fear teaching about Heaven and Hell yet when it comes to true agape love fear should never be the motivating factor. Love does not have to make sense but it does have to be felt in order to be useful. Love is an emotion that certainly does grow cold even though it still exist. The ember can become a flame again just when we least expect it. Think about a sick child or pet and how that warm feeling of love seems to encapsulate your body when you witness their struggles. Our heart was designed by a loving God to love. Anything outside of that design is not natural. 

For a minute now I am going to flip this completely around, when it comes to relationship love at what point do you let go and let God. At what point does love that is a one way street become harmful to your health? As you know you can't force someone to love you. If you have a feeling that someone else does not have does it bred in you a feeling of bitterness, jealousy, depression, or even hate? I think the bigger question is this, was it love in the first place? True love does have an ebb and flo but it never leaves. One way love can happen but not as part of the natural design. If you find yourself in a one way love situation, then love from a distance so that you never meet that fine line between love and hate. 

Love will find a way is a very apropos to this conversation. True God like love will find a way and that love is our love for God and ourselves. If we allow ourselves the time for self exploration we will discover a person that has the ability not simply to love others but to love ourselves. Without love and respect for self it is not possible to fully love others and God. Think about that please. If you do not take care of that which is entrusted to you how can you take care of anything else.  If we constantly tear down, destroy, or degrade our God temple we can never have a sincere expression of love toward anything else. We can have moments of love but not deep heart and soul agape love. We absolutely have to learn to love and respect ourselves.  

God did not create us so we could not understand his love for us or our love for him. We were created so that love emanated through us to others, but that love cannot permeate into nor out of our heart unless we are willing to take the time to love that which we have been given, namely ourselves. I often see so many people searching for love in all the wrong places when the only place they need to look is in the mirror. If you have no love or respect for yourself the only thing that will come out of you and into others is bitter, selfish, greedy, discontent for life and people. 

Where do you start? I think if it is love you seek the place to start is learning how to love who you are right now. You are where you are and you have what you have, you can't change yesterday but you can have a profound impact on tomorrow. It is time to forgive all that you have done, and forgive all that you think others have done to you. Not so much to let go of yesterday but to give hope to tomorrow. Total forgiveness paves the way for love to enter back into your heart. Holding grudges as well as judging blocks the love that is desiring to come in. Can love find a way? Yes but only if you choose to allow it too. 

peace and much love

Dale