His yoke is easy and his burden is lite….I have recently been reminded of this passage as I seek out what unconditional love looks like. You know often times we do things for people based on stipulations that they will give us something in return. How many times have you sat down with someone or loved someone that you didn’t want something in return from? I know that is really difficult to comprehend, because at times a lot of us can say that this might be easy. Giving a gift to someone, saying something encouraging, or just being there for someone through a tough time…all things we don’t really expect anything in return. But have you ever thought of someone that can not give back to you what you pour into them?How can that be measured? How can that be so difficult. I’m sure when Jesus was paying the sacrifice for my sins it was difficult for him to comprehend. We know that Jesus cried out on the cross, why why have you forsaken me? But God knew that without the sacrifice of His Son we would never know what unconditional & sacrificial love looks like.1 John 3:16 says “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”While driving in the car the other day, Shayla (name has been changed to protect privacy) reminded me of this love. Shayla and I met about 6 months ago and when I met her she was in a horrible place in life. Her boyfriend had just died of a drug overdose, her kids were not in her custody, she was working full time at one of the worst strip clubs in town, she was drinking bottles of whiskey a night and would end up every morning on a different persons floor not knowing how she got there.What amazed me about Shayla was her zest for life. Through all of that I could still sense deep down that God was holding onto her. Through suicidal attempts, panic attacks and outbursts of anger and rage, it became very clear to me Shayla had no idea what Love was. Her view of God was that he created her to be this free spirit and independent person who could do things on her own, which much of what she had gotten herself into was by her own doings.Day after day I would call and check in with Shayla. I would make sure she was safe and alive, literally check for a pulse. Many times Shayla should have been taken from this earth, but God has chosen to keep Shayla around for a much greater purpose. God is still working that purpose out in Shayla and I am reminded daily that the second I try to take over the Holy Spirits job, it fails. Through lessons that I can only comprehend by reading God’s word he is gently teaching me how to love unconditionally.What does unconditional love look like….in our world of Scarlet Hope it looks like this.. Sitting in a hospital room waiting to hear if she’s going to be ok after a drug overdose, it’s driving countless miles to take women to rehab and counseling, it’s driving to some of the most uncomfortable, unsafe neighborhoods to pick up a dancer to take to bible study or church. Unconditional love looks like loving a dancer even when they fall back into their sinful life after leaving the industry and seeking after the Lord. Unconditional love died for me, and so I must die to myself and love so unconditionally that the only thing that is seen is the Glory of God.
Unconditional love hurts…..
His yoke is easy and his burden is lite….
I have recently been reminded of this passage as I seek out what unconditional love looks like. You know often times we do things for people based on stipulations that they will give us something in return. How many times have you sat down with someone or loved someone that you didn’t want something in return from? I know that is really difficult to comprehend, because at times a lot of us can say that this might be easy. Giving a gift to someone, saying something encouraging, or just being there for someone through a tough time…all things we don’t really expect anything in return. But have you ever thought of someone that can not give back to you what you pour into them?
How can that be measured? How can that be so difficult. I’m sure when Jesus was paying the sacrifice for my sins it was difficult for him to comprehend. We know that Jesus cried out on the cross, why why have you forsaken me? But God knew that without the sacrifice of His Son we would never know what unconditional & sacrificial love looks like.
1 John 3:16 says “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.”
While driving in the car the other day, Shayla (name has been changed to protect privacy) reminded me of this love. Shayla and I met about 6 months ago and when I met her she was in a horrible place in life. Her boyfriend had just died of a drug overdose, her kids were not in her custody, she was working full time at one of the worst strip clubs in town, she was drinking bottles of whiskey a night and would end up every morning on a different persons floor not knowing how she got there.
What amazed me about Shayla was her zest for life. Through all of that I could still sense deep down that God was holding onto her. Through suicidal attempts, panic attacks and outbursts of anger and rage, it became very clear to me Shayla had no idea what Love was. Her view of God was that he created her to be this free spirit and independent person who could do things on her own, which much of what she had gotten herself into was by her own doings.
Day after day I would call and check in with Shayla. I would make sure she was safe and alive, literally check for a pulse. Many times Shayla should have been taken from this earth, but God has chosen to keep Shayla around for a much greater purpose. God is still working that purpose out in Shayla and I am reminded daily that the second I try to take over the Holy Spirits job, it fails. Through lessons that I can only comprehend by reading God’s word he is gently teaching me how to love unconditionally.
What does unconditional love look like….in our world of Scarlet Hope it looks like this.. Sitting in a hospital room waiting to hear if she’s going to be ok after a drug overdose, staying up late just lending an ear or wiping away tears, it’s driving countless miles to take women to rehab and counseling, it’s driving to some of the most uncomfortable, unsafe neighborhoods to pick up a dancer to take to bible study or church. Unconditional love looks like loving a dancer even when they fall back into their sinful life after leaving the industry and seeking after the Lord. Unconditional love died for me, and so I must die to myself and love so unconditionally that the only thing that is seen is the Glory of God.
Loving Him,
Rachelle~
