Have you ever stopped and looked at the proverbial mirror and realized you’ve become like your parents?
Today I sat and reflected on a relationship in my life and realized I’m becoming like my Father– I’m starting to see things in my life through the eyes of my Father who knew me before He formed me.
I know that I’m not the only one who has a relationship in my life where I feel like I’m the only one who ever exerts any effort to make it work. It’s a relationship that makes me vulnerable to rejection and getting hurt but I count it as ‘worth it.’
I realize that this feeling and desire for relationship is what God wanted with man. God made himself vulnerable to being hurt by allowing man to have free will to chose him and love him above all created things. He counted us- in all our rebellion and sinfulness- as ‘worth it.’
If we are to treat others how we want to be treated, then I want to treat others the way God treats me. I want to love people, even when it hurts and nothing comes back.
And so I pray for you, just as the Spirit intercedes on our behalf.
And I still love you, even if you reject it. Father God loved me when I didn’t yet love him back.
Hebrews 4:14-16 (The Message)
God is not out of touch with our messiness and our broken relationships.
If God sent Christ as the way to reconcile the broken relationship of mankind to a holy and perfect God, how much more can Christ reconcile one imperfect man to another?
And so I trust my Father's word when he says, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:9)
Is there a relationship in your life that frustrates you, or maybe you've given up on? Have you ever been on the other end and been the one in need of grace or patience? Are you willing to continue loving when it hurts?
-Dan²
