Do You Really Desire to Love as HE Loves?

 ¹⁹ An offended friend is harder to win back than a fortified city.
      Arguments separate friends like a gate locked with bars.  Prov. 18:19

In the book The Bait of Satan by John Bevere in the chapter Massive Offense he talks about how when we are offended or live with this offense in us how hard it is for us to love our trust, even in the church.  
" The focus of offended Christians is inward and introspective.  We guard our rights & personal relationships carefully.  Our energy is consumed with making sure no future injuries will occur.  If we don't risk being hurt, we cannot give unconditional love.  Unconditional love gives others the right to hurt us."

³ We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. ⁴ And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. ⁵ And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.  Romans 5:3-5

So when was the last time you were hurt?  In your marriage?  Your job?  By your kids?  By your local church?  Whenever it was......did you realize that the people that hurt you....were people too?  Imperfect just as you are?  See.....if we put up walls everytime someone hurt us, we will have an extremely difficult time giving love and recieving love.   When someone hurts us, it's in our best interest to attempt to understand why they did it through their lenses, and also to at least communicate in love to that person, that they in fact did hurt you, giving them the opportunity to apologize and demonstrate the Grace of God, that He offers to us daily as we hurt Him.  All of which as the scripture states...helps us to build character (the character of GOD) and endurance to persevere through such times.  This is how friends, marriages, churches, work relationships last until death.....because the people are truly committed to the main thing!  Loving & Caring for each other.

There's a lyric in a song that says " Who you love, I'll Love" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvDR__ireC0) and in order of us to truly Love Who He loves, and even love like He loves....we must be willing to be hurt.  We must actually forfeit the right not to be hurt.  I pray today you destroy that wall and open yourself up to be loved, and to finally be able to love wrecklessly as He loves us.  CHALLENGE: Step outside your comfort zone, and put yourself in a position to be vulnerable in begining a new relationship, accepting that this appointment was of GOD's diving design.  LGLP