Love is...

LOVE DOES NOT REJOICE AT WRONGDOINGS, BUT REJOICES WITH THE TRUTH Does not delight in unrighteousness but rejoices with the truth There is something in us (our sinful nature) that enjoys seeing the bully getting what they deserve. We like to see people finally getting a piece of their own medicine. But God says: "Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep." -Romans 12:15 No matter how evil or wicked a person may be; God's heart breaks with theirs. We are all His creations; when we suffer, we break, laugh, and rejoice, the Lord does so along with us. God doesn't like when His children choose wickedness; yes, it's their choice, but He still hurts with their decision knowing that path will lead them to more pain and hurt. It might seem nice when your enemy loses and gets "what they deserve,"... But what does our rejoicing in that do? It just gives us a prideful and arrogant attitude. It opens the door for us to talk bad about them and gossip… It leads us to sin. We need to humble ourselves and know that when we trip or sin, we don't need or want more people shoving our faces in the mud. As the saying goes..." if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all." We are already such big critiques of ourselves, that having more people critique us doesn’t help. It doesn’t resolve anything but just digs the knife in deeper. The Lord had to humble me in this area. I kept saying “but God, this... But God, that... But God...” In my eyes, I had a right to justice after every evil and hurtful thing my ex had done and was still actively doing. But you know how the Lord responded to all my "But God…"? He lovingly, gently, and opened my eyes to my own imperfections. He showed me my sins, My plank. I had to stop focusing on what that other person was doing and had done. I needed to focus on my own sin and healing journey with the Lord, and He would take care of the rest in His time. The Lord was trying to address the weeds in my lawn that I wasn’t seeing. After I kept insisting and asking God “Why not now? Why haven’t you come down in your anger and given me justice yet?” I was reminded: ……………………………………………………………………………………………… "God loves you, but He also loves your enemy. You used this situation to return to God and allow Him to rescue you! That’s wonderful!! But while God is healing you through this situation, while He is purifying you to remove Egypt from you in order to move you onto the Promised Land, He is also working on your opponent. What would've happened to Pharaoh if he had listened to God and not gone after Israel, God's people? What would've happened if Pharaoh had opened his eyes and seen the Lord after all the times He showed himself to him?? Pharaoh would've been saved!! God loves His creation and gives them multiple chances to let Him save them. He is as patient with them as He is with you. The Lord is reaching His hand out to your opponent and giving them opportunity after opportunity to take hold of it so He can save them. Salvation is God's desire! God doesn’t want to see them lost but rather saved. You have to trust God and His timing. Ultimately, they will have to choose, like Pharoah did: if they want to continue chasing after you to destroy you or if the will listen to the Lord, stop the chase and surrender to Him. Don’t worry, God is protecting you like He protected Israel. Focus on HIM rather than the smoke show and noise the enemy is trying to scare you with. You are safe. This time isn't lost in vain, because while God is trying to reach your opponent, He is also preparing you for the promised land… You are not ready. You need to be refined, and you need to collect all these beautiful moments from the Valley. You need to commit to the deepening of your relationship with Jesus and create those good habits. That way, when you arrive at the Promised Land you can truly embrace and enjoy it to the fullest. You’ll have the discipline and the knowledge to walk in the Promises of the land. The beauty of the land won’t distract you from the true blessing that is your relationship with YHWH. God is working on you while He is also working on your opponent, but He needs you to trust Him. Don’t worry about what God is doing with the other person, just focus on what He is doing in and through you." ……………………………………………………………………………………………… That day, I realized it's not about me and my problems. It’s so easy to see things from such an earthly/self-focused lense, we forget everything has an eternal and Kingdom perspective. Read 2 Samuel 1. David is a perfect example of this! When Saul (the one who unjustly chased after David multiple times to kill him) dies. David didn’t rejoice. David mourned for Saul's death. David had many opportunities to kill Saul, but He refused to do so every time. David knew God still had Saul sitting on the thrown for a purpose, and David was not about to go against the will and the timing of the Lord. When Saul died, David chose to be respectful in His words and honor Saul as the good soldier he had been instead of speaking ill about him… How may of us can say we would act in that same way? It's easier to want someone to get what they deserve in a negative way. But it's harder to position yourself to want that person to get what they don't deserve: GRACE. We need to keep in the forefront of our minds that our best efforts still deserve the cross, and it’s ONLY by God's amazing and abundant grace that we get to have a relationship with him. We can't forget that we are sinful humans who fail God's standards every day, no matter how hard we try. So, we need to show that same love and grace to others that we so desperately ask God to show us. We are SO dependent on God's grace, so who are we to withhold that grace from someone else? I heard a pastor once say, "I am the most forgiving person because I know how much I depend on God to forgive me."