Wednesday, February 15, 2006

because yesterday was valentine's day and i KNOW you want to know my thoughts on love

after about a week and a half of irritating mental stress, all but a religion test is in the past, and i feel obligated to allow my brain some quality farting time, at least academically. not to mention, i only have twenty minutes before work and there really is no need to crack open a book just to close it again.

sigh.

it amazes me how, as someone who calls herself a Christian, I can do such a shotty job of fulfilling the most central element of the Gospel--love. If you take NOTHING else from Jesus' message, take love, it's what he was all about, it's what we are called to be all about, but we fail at it so often.

i have a really hard time loving some people, I have no good reason usually, maybe they just have a bad habit or something I don't like, but in general, i just don't care enough to love. and what a poor reflection of God to not love my neighbor?

it's funny how not matter how long you have been a Christian, sometimes you still have so many of the basics to learn. I really have just been praying for God to soften my heart to love, to revel not only in his love for me, but to love my brothers and sisters all around me, to take the focus off me and just pour love into others.

gah, i don't do emotions well, but man is my God an emotional God!

p.s. this really has nothing to do with valentine's day

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

oh wise brooke, i think this is something that we all struggle with as christians every single day. I mean lets face it, people are annoying, but i think God puts those people in our life to help us learn what love really is. Its patient. And so its not automatic that we get the gift to love everyone as we should, and we should be patient with God as he gives it to us. I dont think that made any sense, but i love you and keep letting God do his thing.

-kts

Anonymous said...

Brooke, I can completely relate, it’s so hard to love people. And I think you hit the nail on the head when you said that it’s taking the focus off of self and pouring into others. That’s so huge, and I am so selfish! and it’s an enormous struggle for me. Umm. And thanks be to God that He is a Lord of love, and that it is unwavering and everlasting. And I can’t wait to see how He’s gona use that love working in and through you to bring Himself glory. He has great plans for you! Keep on keeping on in the Lord, you are a great woman of faith Brooke.