Love Hurts

Why does love feel so much like searing pain and loss?  The world interprets love differently, as a potential gain that inspires meaningless feelings caused by a mere chemical reaction in the brain.  This lonesomeness and these painful choices by no means feel anything like what I've heard that love is.  Conclusion:  Love is not what the world says it is, but rather it is a direct choice as laid out in God's word.

If this is true, then of what benefit is love?  Suddenly it doesn't feel like the romantic image of fated union or the warmth of a maternal/paternal bond which shelters completely from the storm.  Now it feels like a cold calculation.  Yet, I cannot help but wonder if it was meant to be this way.  Love's difficult.  Love's painful.  Love's intentional.  Love's so much more than a feeling.

Why love?
That which is from above.
Why pain?
As it falls on us like rain.
Why feel?
I just want to heal.
Why?
He came to die.
He loved.
He suffered.
He set us free.

True love moves things in a way which no feeling ever could.  It is about the surrendering of self in order that the other might gain.  It hurts as you let go of your "rights" and look to someone else's needs.  In the end it may even begin to influence your emotions, as God brings together feelings and choices into harmony.  To chase a feeling leaves one empty and broken, but to love as God commanded makes us children of the one who first loved us.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Meditations on Ecclesiastes

Meaningless! Everything bides its time! Meaningless! What is this terrible crime? Evil or righteous, Both will still die. All is contemptuous, Feel tears that we cry. Broken and battered, Our lives will lie shattered. Is happiness naught but a lie? Meaningless! Chasing after the wind! Meaningless! The darkness has grinned! Perseverance or pleasure, Both will still rot. Contemplations and treasure, Both come to naught. Shattered and torn, We bear a horrible thorn. Decay is at its terrible leisure. Meaningless! Standing all alone! Meaningless! Living as one’s own! Labor and toil, Merely chase the wind. Within the mortal coil, Pain and grief grinned. Sleep has no peace, Cares do not cease. Man returns to the soil. Meaningless! Enough never exists! Meaningless! Joy constantly resists! Riches come to harm, And steal joy relentlessly. Wealth has no charm, And deprive sleep incessantly. Appetites never satisfied, Unto the day man died. Abundance simply awaits alarm. Meaningless! All t...
Read more

Rumination on Paths Already Tread

  It was six years ago to the day that I am writing this, that my grandma called me out of the blue.  Much like today, the sun was out and spring was in full swing.  If memory serves me correctly though, it was much colder. Although the sun took most of the nip away, it was chilly on the porch as I answered her call.  When the phone rang, I had been sitting close to a couple of space heaters while breaking for lunch, so had stepped out to the most likely place that the signal would remain consistent.   Of what was said, many of the specifics having faded with time, all I can remember with much surety is that she wanted to know how my wife and I's then two month old son was.  He was fine, very healthy in fact, but she had made a point to pray for him and his health.  To this day the physical healthiness that he exhibits still strikes me as an answered prayer, so sincere was her concern. It was not unusual for me to talk to her on the phone, as we h...
Read more

Look Upon the Sunrise

As I look upon the sunrise, I leave behind the past. As I see behind the lies, I find freedom at last. No darkness can accuse, As evil I refuse. As I look upon the sunrise, I look to what's ahead. As I gaze at the blue skies, I leave behind my dread. Civility returns to me, By His blood I am free. As I look upon the sunrise, I remember a Creator. As I listen to my cries, I stumble like before. No longer bowing to hate, This is not my fate. As I look upon the sunrise, I see my scars dissolve. As I tremble and rise, I feel the blissful salve. Eyes cleared of the dirt, Joy comes from past's hurt.
Read more