Sticky notes help to get my life all the way together on most days. Just last week as I was writing out my thoughts of what to share with you, I said to myself “whoever invented sticky notes is brilliant.” (LOL) One of my patients always comments about my colorful array of sticky notes I have posted on my desk and around my computer monitor. What can I say? They simply help me remember things in that moment that I will need at another time. Interestingly as I have been preparing what to share with you, this passage of scripture about love has become Apostle Paul’s sticky note to me. It has reminded me of HOW I overcame something that I never thought I could or would; the fear to love freely, to receive love freely, and be in love freely. Most of all, it is a model of how we should love and expect to be loved. Let me explain a little…
“It was September 2006 when the spirit of infidelity had been unveiled. My marriage as I knew it had come to a place that I could have never prepared myself for and our relationship had forever been changed. It literally took my breath away to know that my husband, my high school sweetheart, my best friend had indeed been unfaithful to me. The sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach was now a reality for me…for us.”
LORD, I THANK YOU!!! (Sometimes, you just have to stop and give God a THANK YOU praise)
This brings me to this week’s verse and while I have read these verses about love a million times over, God revealed it to me on a deeper level. The Apostle Paul is very direct in that love does not dishonor (shame, disrespect) and love is not self-seeking (selfishly seek its own honor). If I may be very transparent, this part of verse 5 kept nudging me to address the fact that betrayal is intertwined with being unfaithful.
The word betrayal has always had a “haunting” connotation to me. It is as if someone was lurking around waiting for the opportunity to inflict pain. While causing pain may not have been the intent, it occurs inevitably when such things as infidelity occurs. Betrayal is more than lying. It is a breach of trust in any type of relationship. Betrayal dishonors. Betrayal is self-seeking. Love and betrayal cannot abide together. Very cut and dry, right? But then there is the second part of the verse exclaiming that love is not easily angered and it keeps no record of wrongs. Now, this is where God took me to a deeper level and revealed to me that I also had a responsibility in our recommitment to love regardless of how unfair it may have been. (Lord forgive me for the side-eye)
Essentially, I had planned to “forgive” but make my husband feel bad for the rest of his life. (yeah, God shut that all the way down) This was not God’s way nor His will and if I hoped for and expected my husband to show me this agape kind of love, then I also had to show it. I had to get to a place where I was open. “Michelle, there comes a time when you must stop choosing to be easily angered. Oh and, you will no longer keep records of the wrong that was done to you.”-God. Even as I type this, I remember the conviction I felt in my heart when I no longer felt justified in being petty and resentful toward my husband. It simply was not healing the hurt. But WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!
Remember, we are pondering the thought that love does not fail; instead, we get caught up in going through the motions of love as a feeling and we somehow become negligent in choosing to demonstrate love in action.
Father God, I just want to thank you for your unfailing love for the person reading this. Please forgive us Father for all our sins. I thank you for this sticky note that reminds us of what love is and what love is not. May we keep it forever imprinted in our hearts as we strive to live it out in our actions toward others. May you also help us to respond in love even when someone has wronged us. Please continue to teach us the importance of also loving ourselves as we are created in Your image. Father God, please give us the spiritual discernment to help us recognize any type of love that is not of you. Thank you oh God for always being the lover of our souls. We love you! In Jesus name, Amen.
