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I have, as many of you have, gone through some very difficult hurt in relationships. I, at times, wonder how my key message is still about the beauty and power of Love. Why? Because your or my successes and failures in loving do not define either Love or the trustworthiness of Love. That human relationships lead sometimes to more pain than bliss is not the fault of Love.
Rather, I have found that the hurt of loving gives the context to affirm a perfect Love, a whole Love, a Love that does not fail. Each one of us can look into any way we have felt let down in loving and have let down another or others, and that very lack can remind us of the plenitude of True Love.
With sustained connection to this Love, Who is God, bitterness is transformed into a new loving of the very person or persons whom we once held bitterness toward. Unable to change anyone else, we can change ourselves, we can offer our bitterness to Christ, identify our suffering with His, and experience a new resurrection beyond the shadows of hurt, anger, and rancor. And for this healing to begin, all needed is a willingness for it to begin in you and me.
Do you have bitterness toward anyone? How might you process through that to become more Christlike toward the person or persons you are bitter toward?
Is being like Christ more important to you or the grudge you bear?
Does tenderhearted mean being weak? Strong? Explain.
Have you ever felt your heart had been hardened toward someone and it became soft, tender? What was that change like for you?
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*Charitable contributions would be appreciated to assist Brian in the continuance of his work of ministry. For contributions, contact Brian at barukhattah@embarqmail.com .
*Brian's book of mystical love poetry, An Ache for Union: Oneness with God through Love, can be ordered through major booksellers, or through the Cokesbury on-line store, at www.cokesbury.com .
*Brian K. Wilcox lives with his two beloved dogs, St. Francis and Bandit Ty, in Southwest Florida. He serves the Christ Community United Methodist Church, Punta Gorda, FL. Brian is vowed at Greenbough House of Prayer, a contemplative Christian community in South Georgia. He lives a contemplative life and inspires others to experience a more intimate relationship with Christ. Brian advocates for a spiritually-focused Christianity and renewal of the focus of the Church on addressing the deeper spiritual needs and longings of persons, along with empathic relating with other world religions, East and West. Brian has an independent writing, workshop, and retreat ministry, for all spiritual seekers.
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