We can think of a thousand reasons not to love, and can feel very justified in holding back our love in this particular moment. But however justified we might be, maturity calls us to love anyway.
Somedays we don’t feel like going to work. But we show up anyway and do the work that needs to be done. This is simply part of our professional responsibility – doing the work needed regardless of our personal feelings in the moment.
And the same holds true in our practice of love.
To be sure, loving is a lot easier when we’re overflowing with warm and fuzzy feelings. But true love does not wait on such feelings before acting.
For example, there may be times in which we’re overlooked, ignored, or outright dismissed. And we choose to love anyway.
When we’re criticized, blamed, and disrespected, we love anyway.
Even when it’s unfair and inconvenient – we choose love.
We love because it’s who we are and who we’re becoming. It’s our calling, our practice, our job.
This is not to suggest it’s easy to do.
Perhaps the last thing we want to do when we’re upset with our wife is to move toward her in love. And it’s not any easier when confronted with those we disagree with socially, politically, or otherwise.
But our call to love remains all the same.
We don’t have to pretend this is easy or attempt to sugarcoat the hard feelings we experience. All the difficulties we face are still true. And we choose to love anyway.
We allow the world to grow a bit darker when we fail to love.
Don’t wait on the ideal conditions. Follow the example of Christ and choose to love anyway.
Photo by Josue Michel on Unsplash
