Learning What Love Is, Part One

3/29/22

Hello Fabulous You!

How have the last few days been for you?

I’ve been having back issues, so thank God for chiropractors who know what they’re doing. I’m getting more mobile again (Hallelujah!)

Have you ever said (or written) something that was questioning/exploring a topic that you thought, in that moment, you didn’t know much about but later realized you know and understand more than you implied?

I do that kinda frequently, apparently. Not that long ago a friend of mine, B., said I can talk like I haven’t made any progress or sound ignorant about something when she knows I’ve made significant strides forward or am more intelligent than I make myself out to be.  Couldn’t decide if I should slap or hug her. (Lucky for her it was a telephone conversation so she didn’t have to find out which I’d’ve chosen! :))

She’s right, and I think the couple of devotionals I wrote this month for a group I call the GLPers showed it.  (A few of us each write 2-3 prayers a month that are then sent out, one at time, to the whole group on a daily basis.) The March theme was “Love” and when that message was sent out I couldn’t decide to laugh, cry, or take a 30 day vacation :). But I’m so glad to have decided to write in spite of the insecurity of doubting I’d have anything to offer because it led to a couple of breakthroughs.

Not so sure the first submission originally had much relevance and have rewritten a bit of it for this post.  Hopefully the reworked version shows more of a comprehension of what I was on the verge of learning while writing it initially.  The second devotional showed I am understanding more than I might imply (even to myself).  Hopefully these’ll help someone else who may doubt their value and/or ability to love due to their heart condition, too.  

Here’s the first . . .

I’m prefacing this with:  This was written by someone who is still unclear of what ‘love’ actually is, especially in a practical sense.  So this is more a musing, and if someone has a thought to share on this subject I’d be glad to receive it. 

“A Course In Miracles” teaches that all emotions stem from two things – love, and fear.  (And no, I’ve never taken on “A Course In Miracles”,  just listened to speakers and friends who have, so I pretend to know what it’s about. :))

I ask you to honestly look at anything you’ve felt and then try to refute that statement. 

But are love and fear mutually exclusive? I used to think so (until starting to write this, actually). 

I thought love was ‘perfect’, of God, and would be a perpetual feeling of peace and serenity when/if we let go of everything that I thought was not of love – like anger, hate and fear.  

But are those ‘negative’ emotions really signs of the absence of love?  If anger and hate are protectors from the fear of feeling or being hurt or taken advantage of, then wouldn’t there have to be some sort of care/love to begin with to protect?  Indifference could more likely be considered the opposite, but so frequently it’s actually ‘frozen feelings’ that are a result of a sensitive soul having been repeatedly traumatized.  If the wounded being (two or four legged) chooses/gets a chance to heal, then you’ll find there’s usually an unending font of love waiting to be discovered and set free.  (Not usually a quick, neat and easy process though!!!)  (Do you think real love will hang in there, patiently, with those are healing, until they can get over their fear enough to receive and give it?)

And in some cases, if it’s not violently turned towards another (including self), couldn’t anger also be considered a sign of love if it stems from experiencing or seeing some other living creature get disrespected or intentionally hurt (‘righteous anger’), especially if it’s used as motivation to do something to right the injustice (legally!)?

If we read the Bible we well know that God does, in fact, get vexed and even irate, especially in the old testament times.  Jesus got angry, too, at intentional hypocrites, people who abuse children, won’t take care of the less fortunate, and those who defiled His Beloved Father’s temple with commerce. 

Our Savior feared, too, as witnessed in the Garden of Gethsemane.  

So where was Apostle John coming from when he wrote, “ . . . perfect love casts out fear, for fear has to do with punishment.  The one who fears is not made perfect in love”?  Love was (is) more powerful and overcame fear, but fear was still an element of it.

So, is there really such a thing as ‘perfect’ love here on earth?  Or is imperfect the best we can do and it’s ok to revel and wallow in that as we choose to continually grow into an increasingly ‘better ability to love’?

Dear Holy Abba, thank You for responding to our petitions in the best way possible for each of us.  Thank You for helping any of us who are unclear on the concept of love to better understand what it is so we can see, believe, receive, and give it to the best of our mortal and imperfect abilities, for Your greater glory and for our enjoyment of this life You’ve blessed us with. And thank You for all the Victories over the enemy’s lies that try to convince us we are too broken or imperfect to receive (and give!) all the love, in all its forms, that You have for us.  In Jesus name, AMEN!

(This is long enough, the second prayer will be next week’s post.)

This week’s song, “Easy Livin'” by Uriah Heep is one I’ve loved for a long time. I hear it not only as a song about finally ‘coming into alignment’ with that one person you’ve been hoping, working towards, and waiting for, but also as a spiritual song. (Not that I know that was what the writers had in mind – don’t know if that was their intent.) I feel as if this could also be about my journey towards God, and realizing I am forgiven by Him, have always been since the first time I asked, and finally receiving HIs love, forgiveness and redemption. Keep hoping mortal love will somehow work out the same, too, that the latter will beget the former, so to speak.