I Get Hurt When I Love



Loving Jesus: EASY!

We love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19)

Loving others: difficult.

"'A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.  By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.'" (John 13:34-35).

When most talk about loving others, they reference that it is difficult due to the numerous people that do not love in return, that inflict hurt and damage.  But I want to talk about another reason why it is difficult...

My heart is broken.

Jesus took my heart and swept me away.  In this way, my heart was reformed after numerous hurts from the past.

But then, in the words of Hillsong, my heart broke for what broke His.  A love for others means that I see the acute needs of others, and my heart cries as if I thought it be my very brother or sister that was the victim.

I see a homeless man picking food from a trash can and then running away when I approach him.

I see numerous others starving in other countries, suffering from malnutrition and disease and seeing that a small donation only goes so far in helping 1 billion people.

I see many enslaved into forced labor or prostitution.  I can only watch from afar as I remain helpless knowing what I can do.

I see numerous business people who are so satisfied with their lives that they "don't need God".  Therefore they miss out on the party, and no words of mine can sway their opinion.

My heart is broken as I see all the injustice, ambivalence, and sin go on around me.

But as my heart was formed in Jesus and then broken for the world, it only leans back into Jesus to be mended.

See, I am a sheep in the flock and I need to be shepherded.  I am not Superman.  Jesus is, and He did, does, and will triumph over all.    I am not meant to save the world.  Jesus was and He did and He will.  Why should I take away His glory?  I am provided by His great hope through faith by loving (1 Corinthians 13:13).

But it still hurts.