Love

Sometimes I have to remember why I love.


This weekend/week has had some hurt intertwined with my life. Things people have said, things people have done, hurt..and the hurt ran deep...unleashed my insecurities, stolen my joy, allowed anger to overtake my thoughts. A bunch of nastiness. So, naturally, I want to throw my hands up in the air, stop loving them, stop investing my time and energy into them OR yell at them, hurt them for hurting me. Why? Because "hurt people, hurt people." But as I think these thoughts the Lord gently reminds me why I love...I love because God is love...when I love, God moves in and through me. When I love, I become so close to God's heart I can feel it beating.


One of my favorite scriptures comes from Romans 12:9  
"Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply" 


It's what I have been called to do, what I have been created for...to love and to LOVE DEEPLY. He doesn't ask me to love only when it's easy, or only when I feel like it...but to love deeply, from the center of my very being. So yes, sometimes "love hurts"...God TOO is pained when we turn our backs, when we lay Him aside...and yet He chose to love us, to give His son up for us while we were still sinners, hateful, spiteful, two-faced.


This is why I can love. 


He reminds me "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first." John 15:18


I love because God loves me. I love because I want to be close to Him. I love because He teaches me how. God is love, and that reason alone is why I love.  When I am hurt DEEPLY, I must love DEEPER.