It is not enough for us merely to do loving things. To become all that God has for us requires us to become love as well. When love is who we are, loving actions will flow naturally.
Photo by Louis Hansel on Unsplash
Great athletes make the game look easy.
There is a flow to their performance – it’s natural. They show up fully present yet without having to force the fundamentals.
Playing the game is second nature to them – and being a great player is simply who they are.
To be sure, there was a time to learn the fundamentals and put in the countless hours and many years of practice. Yet as they grew, they no longer had to worry about and focus exclusively on the basics.
Their growth allowed them to simply enjoy the game.
This is what we are seeking in our practice of love – to practice enough were love becomes second nature. It becomes who we are.
Not only is this a mark of maturity, it gives us tremendous freedom in our life and relationships.
For example, there will be many situations in which we do not feel loving toward others.
However, when we are love, we can show up and love even when we don’t feel like it. Because it is who we are, love is no longer depended on how we feel in the moment.
Like the great athletes, how we feel about the situation is of no concern. Love has so permeated our being that it flows from us in every moment. In this way, we can even love our enemies.
Becoming love is our ideal, but it starts with practice.
And everyday, and in every relationship, we get to practice becoming love.
This is a lifelong pursuit, but in time, love flows from us with greater ease as it becomes more and more of who we are.
Practice love. Become love.
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