The subject of “love” to be honest, seemed like something I thought I understood well. As I got older, it was when I realized, all I have ever known is WHAT NOT TO DO. In addition to coming from a family of brokenness, abandonment, abuse, and individuals in desperate need of love, there were also a lot of broken relationships I entertained in my personal life. I realized all my experiences in life only showed me the “red-flags”. Ideally that would great, if you actually had a different life manual on what was acceptable. I first learned about pain, abuse, and rejection before I was able to appreciate what love looked like for me, and how to believe in love. After the trampling in life, I had to endure and forgive; including every lie I ever believed that made me hate myself, and instead love myself. WHAT???? In today’s battle, yes still, it is more about remembering that God saved me and I don’t ever have to believe I am not loved, but also not forgetting who I was; that includes feelings of doubt and shame that shaped me to who I am today. Knowing the “not to-do’s” can take you a long way, but knowing WHO is LOVE is how you get to THE END.
Like me and most others, you have probably wanted to “Live happily ever after” and denied the possibility of it. Where that is logic in the world of “being in love”, it is not the real deal as it pertains to the truth of God’s love. Maybe your belief is related more to the idea of God’s love feeling so hard to reach. “God, in heaven, love me?” YES! First, I needed to understand what God says about love, then apply it to my life before to anyone else. I am talking about self-love (no, not narcissism). This is where your life-book starts getting a little scary. Self-evaluation. For me, God used, fairy tales to teach me about humility, and that real love comes at a cost. First, the cost of forsaking yourself, your belief system, and logic. Mostly all second-hand processes and misguidance. There is also a preparation process. You need to be ready to handle and equip the tasks that follow after saying yes or even no to love; whatever type of romantic relationship, friends, family, or even ministry. Love is a beautiful “action” that comes with a responsibility of “choice”. Lastly, love is driven by something greater inside of us; greater than any human understanding. GOD! Are you willing to move past your pain, and try again to find a new perspective of LOVE?
1 John 4: 9-10
“God showed how much he loved us… He sent his one and only Son to the world, that we might have eternal life… This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son…”
John 15:9
I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.
Psalm 139:13
“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.”
CONFESSIONS FROM THE OTHER SIDE 