Sometimes life hands you a lesson that forever changes you. God has a way of doing that and making it very difficult, almost impossible. You then ask for his hand, and just when you think it is unbearable, He picks you up, the clouds part, the wolves stop growling around you and He carries you to a safe place. The sun comes shining through and you feel the love He has for you and all of creation.
He is very good at his job, this learning stuff he gives to us. Somehow it puts us to just the right test. He hold us to the fire until a bit more dross is burned off. It’s a Hard Love. That love he gives so freely, and then the love he requires we learn and give too. Our ability to feel that love, and then turn around and give that love is an amazing process to go through. It is only accomplished by and through Christ, and the capacity he gives us to do so, for sometimes it is beyond us.
I found a song that came out with the movie “The Shack”. I was looking for a song by Lauren Daigle, she is one of my favorite artists. There was a version of this song which she sang in, and it came up. As I listened to the song, the words just struck me.
The way God changes us. How the lessons he gives us, require parts of us to die, “Burn your old self away”. We “can’t change without a fallout”. Sometimes it seems he has abandoned us in our very time of need and the “road is long”, but it gave us the opportunity to be stretched and expanded and increase our faith and make our “courage strong”. He gives us a burning love that builds strength in and through Him. When wolves come, and they will, when the trials are heavy and difficult, we are strengthened by our past struggles and are able to endure. We get back up and go forward, but sometimes, it is a hard love we have learned.
Beautiful. Amazing. Hard.
“HARD LOVE”
Trading punches with the heart of darkness
Going to blows with your fear incarnate
Never gone until it’s stripped away
A part of you has gotta die to change
In the morning you gon’ need an answer
Ain’t nobody gonna change the standard
It’s not enough to just feel the flame
You’ve gotta burn your old self away
Hold on tight a little longer
What don’t kill ya, makes ya stronger
Get back up, ’cause it’s a hard love
You can’t change without a fallout
It’s gon’ hurt, but don’t you slow down
Get back up, ’cause it’s a hard love
You know the situation can’t be right
And all you ever do is fight
But there’s a reason that the road is long
It take some time to make your courage strong
Hold on tight a little longer
What don’t kill ya, makes ya stronger
Get back up, ’cause it’s a hard love
You can’t change without a fallout
It’s gon’ hurt, but don’t you slow down
Get back up, ’cause it’s a hard love
When the wolves come and hunt me down
I will face them all and stand my ground
‘Cause there’s a fire burnin’ in me
They will see my strength in this love I found
Oh
Hold on tight a little longer
What don’t kill ya, makes ya stronger
Get back up, ’cause it’s a hard love
You can’t change without a fallout
It’s gon’ hurt, but don’t you slow down
Get back up, ’cause it’s a hard love
It’s a hard love…
Hold on tight a little longer
What don’t kill ya, makes ya stronger
Get back up, ’cause it’s a hard love
You can’t change without a fallout
It’s gon’ hurt, but don’t you slow down
Get back up, ’cause it’s a hard love
‘Cause it’s a hard love
NEEDTOBREATHE Lyrics Songwriters: Nathaniel Rinehart / William Rinehart
It dawns on me that all of the experiences or projects that many have been involved in have not been completed in one way or another. The scriptures are not done, the guides and standards is not completed, and the women’s council was not even recognized. It was given to me at that time, that then, the Lord was more interested in the process, not an end result. Our lessons were given in the entire process each so us went through to get where we are now. Even those observing. How did we go through that process? What did it teach us? What was the intention? Did circumstances alter our decision to hold to direction we were given? Did our heart stay true to God? Did we have hurt feelings? Did we hurt others? Were we critical of others? It was a good experience to measure our readiness- for anything! It demonstrated on a grand scale, for all of us our weaknesses, both individually and as a body of believers.
I learned to love on another level. I learned to not be critical just because someone has a different opinion. Everyone’s perspective is different and we can and still should be friends. Fellowships can consist of both people who took the covenant, and those who did not. It will be yet; another exercise in how we treat each other. I know I will be better.
God is good at giving us second chances. He is always willing to let us try again. Progress has been made. Repentance is always welcome, at any point.
Luke 6:27-31 ¶ But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also. Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
It is good to know effort has been and is still being made to heal and change, both individually and collectively. Some have cried on each other’s shoulders and arms extended to offer love. Friendships and hearts have been mended. Bridges have been reestablished to cross over to newer and greener pastures of love and forgiveness.
Bringing to Light all the Hidden Things 