I read the Bible and it makes love sound so easy. “Love God,” Love your Neighbor,” “Love One Another.” After all, love is a good thing, its one of those words that when you hear it, you think happy thoughts, right?
I think love is tough. Probably the toughest things to do. Its natural to be self absorbed but unnatural to be selfless. I don’t think you can have love without becoming selfless first. At New Passion Church we are emphasizing to our team that a part of our HEART is to have Authentic Community through Genuine Relationships. Its one of those spiffy sayings that can easily be said but overlooked. I know there have been many times that my intentions have been to love someone, but when it becomes difficult my natural tendency is to take the easy way out, give lip service but refuse to face or go through the difficulty to truly love an individual or a group of people.
I think God would agree with me that love is tough. I wonder if He ever had a conversation with himself about sending Jesus to die on the cross for people like us? I believe Jesus would agree that love is tough. Look at all He endured, yet on the cross made a plea for his father to forgive those who were murdering him. I think love is so tough and having authentic relationships is so difficult that God knew he had to keep it in front of us. “Live in Harmony with one another,” “Don’t let their be divisions in the body,” “Love your enemies.” Etc… Over and over again, we are being reminded to love each other. Why would we need reminding if it was such an easy task.
All of these things are easy, until you are faced with them & the difficulties & struggles that come along with them. However, I do not believe that you can truly have authenticity until you are willing to not only face those tough situations, their difficulties & their struggles, but to overcome them. We can emphasize our desire to have an authentic community all that we want, but it will never happen if we as individuals are not willing to actually love. Its not just a word…its a very difficult action. We cannot take the easy road of avoiding the struggles and difficulties in relationships, we have to choose to engage them head on.
I believe love is tough…what do you believe?
