Unconditional love has consequences….. not to the party that is the recipient of it but to the one who gives it. God paid the ultimate consequence when he gave his only son, to save all of us….
John 3:16-17
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
I cannot begin to imagine how God felt knowing that he sent his son into the world to be hated, beaten, betrayed, slandered, and finally to be slaughtered to save all of us. And then to top it all off a lot of the people he sent his son to save turned away from him! But he still loves us all, even the ones who turn away from him. He gives us chance after chance to come back to him even up until our last breath here on earth.
Unconditional love does not mean that there is not pain and suffering felt for both parties, it simply means that regardless of the pain and suffering the love is still there. Unconditional love does not mean that mistakes won’t be made or decisions won’t be wrong. It means that even though mistakes and wrong decisions were made it won’t change the love that is still there.
So yes, unconditional love has consequences….. pain….suffering… but it also has peace, and joy knowing that it never changes and it never goes away. No matter how hard you try to run from it, it follows you wherever you go. It may not seem like it, especially when the person giving it does not do what you want them to do, or treat you the way you want to be treated, but trust God, it is there….
Sometimes we forget the ‘good’ in people and focus only on the ‘bad’. We tend to forget the things they did to protect us or help us or comfort us and focus only on their mistakes and shortcomings. All the times they did not do what we thought they should. We forget that they are people too who are struggling in this world the same way we are and are just doing their best to make it through their day.
Unconditional love loves regardless of the outcome.
Ephesians 4:31-32 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Colossians 3:12-13 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Prayer:
Lord, help me to love unconditionally and to accept all the consequences that come with it. Help me to forgive myself for mistakes and wrong decisions made and to go forward with hope and love for all those I have hurt or who have hurt me. Help me to be the person you made me to be, in Jesus’ name I pray your will be done. Amen
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