The heart hurts, the soul grays and crumbles when love is withheld. We’ve all felt it…that deficiency of a God-quality love.
We’ve stood with our arms outstretched ready to receive. Open and willing, our hearts waiting to be filled, arms wrapped tight that said, “I’ll never let you go. I’ll always love you. You are special to me.”
But instead,
We’ve been left behind–abandoned, forgotten, traded in by fathers, mothers, children, friends.
We’ve been looked over, passed by, pushed to the side.
We’ve been given conditions– once you’re thinner, smarter, better…then I’ll love you.
We’ve been denied the quality of love God desires for us. We have parents, spouses, children, friends all who are capable of giving good, quality love. But they, in their humanity, let us down.
We are made to be filled with a gracious, flowing, merciful, redeeming love. A love that topples walls and boundaries, that repairs brokenness, and sees hope in the midst of pain.
The people in our lives, even those who fear and walk with the Lord, will disappoint us. They are not perfect lovers. In their mortality, they will sin and withhold love. You will sin and withhold love. I will sin and withhold love. We are sinners wading in a sea of already, but not yet.
We seek mortal love and are deprived. We feel rejected, abandoned, insecure, insignificant.
They cannot fully fill a need they themselves have and we must not demand it of them.
Love is essential to our personhood as beings created for God’s glory. How we see ourselves is directly related to the deficit of love we’ve experienced. Oftentimes this love deprivation influences how we see ourselves, others and our relationship with them, and it affects our personality in destructive ways. We become someone who Christ has not called us to be.
When we respond sinfully to a love deficit, we begin to believe, even unaware, lies about who we are and where our significance is found. We live lives based on lies rather than Truth. We build a life to numb the pain.
But there is hope.
Don’t give up, my friends, you are loved.
You are loved by a Father who is faithful and true. He speaks delight over you. He is your Protector, your Sovereign, your Rock. He is the only one who can pull you out of your insignificance, who can break your bondage and set you free. He is the Love that fills and satisfies.
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Beautiful and encouraging. I do have a question though.. what about those who feel left, empty handed, and abandoned from Father? I know many who are struggling with that love. Many who say they are seeking but not finding. What tips or encouragement would you recommend one share with them?
This is a wonderful reminder today, especially today when I’ve been struggling with a lack of live from those who should give it freely…it hurts. However, I can and will focus on the live of Christ that He willingly and abundantly showers on me. Thank you!
*love of Christ, that is.