Your Love

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 1 Cor 13:4

Love is an interesting word, isn’t it?  The thought of love can conjure up some serious emotions, instantaneously.  Everyone has their own definition of love.  It means the same and yet something specific and different to each of us.  It can be a blanket word that covers all or it can be immensely private, something we tuck away so no one else can see it or steal it.  A precious jewel, too valuable for words.

Love can also be excruciatingly painful.  Some scars from “love” can wound us permanently.  Changing the way the feeling tingles in our hearts, souls, and bodies.  Intertwining in a way that twist our gut and create reflexes to protect our vulnerable side by deflecting any time someone drops the “L” word in our tear stained laps.

Hearts are delicate mechanisms.  They require proper care and exercise in order to continue to beat and bring life to a body.  Our feelings hearts require the same kind of care, if not much more, in order to keep them delicate, responsive, and productive.  Once a heart has been damaged there is always a high risk that more destruction will come.  Our beating hearts can be easily controlled with diet and exercise.  The external world doesn’t get a vote on how we care for the precious organ.  But our feelings heart is impaled daily by those around us.  Intruded upon, no matter how we try to shield it.

Does the Love word make you recoil in agony?  Or does it open your soul, longing for more?  In what ways are you imprinting on another’s heart each day?  With venom that poisons or the gentleness of  healing balm?  Do you withhold words that revitalize a wounded soul?  Or do you pour forth the waters of life?

We have been presented with an innate ability to touch hearts with blessings.  Or to tear them down and permanently scorch.  Which will you choose?

Melinda Todd

8 Comments

  1. No..(for me) the word love doesn’t mean I recoil in agony.
    I feel for those who do, because they are in Grief…
    Grief, tears you apart.
    It can be for many reasons, death, death of a relationship, etc.
    For myself it was the end realisation of 35yrs with someone who I loved with all my heart, and who betrayed me and our children, in so many ways.
    Only God can heal this kind of hurt, and no matter how much faith one has, it does take time.
    It took me about 13yrs, to stop being numb inside.
    Even now, if I think of it, I can hurt again!! So I choose to direct my thoughts away.
    I am married again to a good man. He is not perfect but neither am I. Together we make it.
    The devil comes to kill (our will) steal and destroy (our faith). John 10:10.
    But Jesus came to give life in abundance. So we need to “Fix our thoughts on what is beautiful.” Phillipians 4:8.
    Otherwise we allow the devil to smile.
    Much love sent to you. Crystal Mary

    • Good points. I do write a lot about taking our thoughts captive here 🙂 Love is complicated business. By being loving to others, we might be able to help a wounded heart finally heal. ♥

  2. Love is complicated indeed… no matter how many times I’ve been hurt, I still choose love.

  3. I think some people are under the belief that a friend who loves also corrects..but I have RARELY seen correction done in love. Usually it’s people being rude and calling it love. ick!

    I think, as you said, people define love differently. The word Agape is not accurately translated with one single English word that has multiple definitions. I think Agape would take at least a few books full of English words to describe His great love for humanity.

    And yet perhaps we fail in loving so perfectly, because if we could love perfectly, we would have no need for Christ. He loves perfectly. His perfect love casts out all fear.
    Sisterlisa recently posted..Inspiration vs Stealing

    • I agree. I think correction between adults needs to be done with extreme caution and extreme prayer and really, should be fairly rare. Good points!

  4. I think I love too easily and give too much… and I do get hurt, but I continue to love still. I try to believe the best, forgive the rest and move on. I pour out venom at times to the ones I love the most right here in this house… but I quickly bring out the healing balm and seek forgiveness and love on them again. Still human, messing it up… but love is always better! I enjoyed pondering “love” with you today Mel!
    Heidi recently posted..GUEST POST- By Dawna- One Less Bite

    • Heidi, I do too! I can almost instantly be invested in someone else’s life, mostly with women. If someone is hurting, I hurt right with them. Thank you for being honest. I pour out venom at home too and I hate but you’re right, if we get out the healing balm right away that helps. Someday we will have this love thing conquered when we meet Jesus 🙂

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