Along the way I’ve discovered that often the hardest thing about learning is the unlearning. I’ve desperately needed to unlearn many things in my life, but the most difficult thing I’ve unlearned is what love looks like.
During my childhood love often yelled at me, called me stupid, talked down to me, and convinced me that I was unlovable. Sure, sometimes love laughed with me and taught me about nature. But more often love painted with the broad strokes of impatience and frustration. It taught me, one painful stroke at a time, that I was unworthy of love and if I didn’t straighten up I would spend the rest of my life alone with only my books as company.
Without realizing it a masterpiece was painstakingly painted—a dangerous picture of love, its dark, distorted shadow painfully stretched across my consciousness, insidiously infecting my every action.
The Bible clearly states that God is Love (1 John 4:8). But, for me, these three words conjured only distorted images.
Thankfully, God is the Great Healer. He too wields a paintbrush, but His is filled with peace, hope, and unconditional love. And with those colors He turned all my pain, all my anger, all my tears, all my hidden frustration into joy—painting a masterpiece called my life.
So join me as I unlearn the hurt, unlearn the pain, unlearn the lies, and allow God to use His delicate touch to make the mess of my life a true and honest masterpiece—a truly joyful journey.
Naked and Vulnerable (Thoughts from the Pot): Broken people produce broken love. Like a shattered glass, love is distorted at every angle, twisted it into something that no longer resembles the original image.
The Eskimo have over 100 words to describe frozen water.
ReplyDeleteThe word love can have even more meanings.