Love You Back
/
“Nothing above us, nothing below us, nor anything else in the whole world will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:39
When I was appointed to my first church as the Associate Minister, I was single and only twenty-three years old. A wonderful couple, Dwight and Dawn, welcomed me into their family, and I “adopted” them as my church parents while serving the Church. The relationship has lasted all these years. Dawn took the journey to Heaven last year, and I have continued to share monthly meals with Dwight. When we say goodbye, we hug each other. I always say, “I love you,” and Dwight always responds, “Love you back.” The love is mutual. It has always been and will always be.
When life changes, and the one we love is gone, we miss being loved back. We miss our person, and the one we have chosen to love unconditionally and forever. We still love them, but we cannot feel them loving us back. That is a true description of loneliness. It is having all the love inside us, but nobody to give it to fully. We desire to be loved back and share a mutual sacrificial love.
In our friendships and family relationships, we form a connection because of being born into the family unit or because we have chosen to share life together. I have a cousin who is also my dear friend and every time we see each other we hug tightly and say, “I love you.” It is a friendship that gives back the same love that is given.
But not every relationship has an equal sharing of love nor is it designed to have it. Though, there needs to be an equal acceptance and respect for each other as human beings, as children of God, and who you are in this season or stage of life. This gives dignity and self-respect which are aspects of love.
So, what happens when people in your life do not give you back the love you give to them? Do you resent them, feel hurt, unloved, unwanted, angry or a host of other feelings and emotions? Do you feel not enough and try to please them to get their love and approval? You may feel manipulated and used because of your compassionate and caring heart that you are sharing with them. You may be a person that craves and needs the validation of others to feel loved and have worth. Your person who gave it to you may now be in Heaven or may be focused on someone else when you need them. This may create within you a feeling of emptiness and jealousy. You want to be loved back.
Relationships have so many different feelings and emotions. God created us to be in relationship with others. God created humanity to love Him and to love one another. God is love, and God loves the world. God gives to us His love, grace, and forgiveness. God desire for us to accept His love and grace and to love Him back. Oh, we cannot out love God because God is love. There is no place we can go that God is not there and nothing separates us from God’s love.
God always loves you no matter how you feel about yourself. No matter what you have done. No matter how lonely and lost you may feel. God wants us to recognize He is always with us even in the darkest times of life. Even when we feel unlovable. God loves us. When we are aware of God’s presence and invite Him into the moments of our lives, we are loving God back.
God will always love us back. His grace and mercy is His love. In the tragedies and bad stuff of life, we do not understand the “why” of the situation. We ask, “Why, God, did you allow this to happen?” We still need to love God through it and ask for God’s help through the situation. God loves us back by walking with us through the sorrows and sadness of life giving us His peace and comfort.
God is loving you even when life is hard and painful. God does not take us out of the situation, but His love sustains us in it. God loves you. Love God back by being aware of His presence in every aspect of your life. Love you back!
********************
You will find all my past blogs on my website – www.livinginthedifferent.com
Check out my new book – Live Different Moments. Each chapter has an Annie story. Annie will guide you in living into life.
My NEW book – Live Different Moments - Available on Amazon -
My Books – Living In The Different and Life Lessons of a Lone Trooper – Available on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Life-Lessons-Lone-Trooper-Legacy/dp/0998310255/
