greater than pain ...

Good Morning!

I pray your day is off to a great start. Once I post this message, I will be off and running.
Interesting thing is ... this post has been in DRAFT for SIX YEARS!

So what is this message that took six years to publish?

There is a love which is greater than pain ...

As I sat in my living room yesterday, suddenly I was overwhelmed with this thought. There is a love which recognizes that offenses are a part of life. After all, Jesus Himself said, 'it is impossible but that offenses will come' (Lk. 17:1). The God of 'all things possible' said it is impossible to be in this earth without circumstances of offense coming our way: husbands and wives, children and parents, brothers and sisters, friends and neighbors.

Inevitably, there will come a moment in every relationship where someone will do something, or you will do something that will cause a 'rift' in the relationship. I have experienced deep hurts at the hands of a child, a love, a spouse (-ex), a sibling, a church member, a co-worker and a stranger.

YET -
I have finally reached a place where I realize that my love is greater than the pain. My desire for continued fellowship is greater than my need to be right, my need to receive vindication, my need for an apology and greater than the pain that was inflicted. It is not to say that the hurt was not real - but the love ushers in a greater reality. The LORD is teaching me to love others and to love Him beyond what my flesh might desire.

THAT BEING SAID - 
I am fully committed to living a  life that please God
Even if it means living a life that is not pleasing to me

NOW - 
Some will take that statement at face value (and entirely out of context) and leap to the conclusion that it is the declaration of someone who has much maturing to do in Christ.
And they might be correct on some level.

HOWEVER - 
I am honest enough to recognize that not everything that is pleasing in the Father's sight is pleasing [enjoyable, comfortable and pleasurable] to me ... at least not immediately.

While it is pleasing to me to please God, it is not always pleasing to me the situations and circumstances that He will allow in order to accommodate my living that life.

LOVE THAT IS GREATER THAN PAIN
LOVING BEYOND WHAT THE FLESH DESIRES
I am so thankful the LORD is teaching me to love Him, love others and love life in this way

SIX YEARS IN DRAFT ... 
Sometimes it takes that long to grow and mature into the word the LORD gives you

Have a Blessed Day!