LOVE PEOPLE USE THINGS
A QUICK INTO
Hey, Y'all! I hope everyone is having a lovely summer! I am so excited for this post.
This is something I've heard lately in prayer. "Love people use things." A few weeks ago I was really struggling with loving the people God has brought into my life. Now, the phrase, "love people use things" is actually aimed towards purity and not objectifying people, but I have just recently seen it in a new light.
MY ENCOUNTER
I was really struggling with loving people God has brought into my life regardless of their opinions, actions, comments and lifestyle. Like, how do I support someone who lives a life wanting nothing to do with Christ. Christ is everything to me. How can I love someone who hurts other people and lives a material life without the Joy of the Lord?! I know I should love ALL of God's children but it is so much harder to so in reality. I felt hopeless for my loved one. I felt empty. I needed strength.
INTERVENTION
I read Luke 23:34 "Love them anyway." on Instagram from someone I hardly know. She didn't know what I had been facing, but someone did. :) In addition, prayer a phrase kept coming to me over and over again along with the first one. I kept thinking about St. Teresa of Avila's "will to love" statement. Will to love means loving someone when there is no longer a fiery love or a desire. It means loving when it is hard and not convenient. It means loving someone for their good for the sake of loving someone. This is the kind of love Christ had for His creation in the garden before His Passion. He was tempted to give up by Satan, but Christ is love and He willed to love. He entered willing into His Passion.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN
I, overwhelmed with God's love for us, for me, realized that He has it under control. I realized that my struggle is a prayer and that with the Holy Spirit nothing is impossible. I realized that everyone experiences brokenness and hurt. Sometimes we don't know that when we are hurt we hurt others. I realized that this person is also a soul. A soul who needs prayer. How did I pray for this person? I continued to love and NOT give up or lose hope. I continued to be patient and kind. What I realize helps me to love is the Holy Spirit's fruit.
LOVING PEOPLE WHEN IT IS HARD
Our Lord knows what we need. He knows what we are going through and when. When you encounter someone who is hard to love ask the Holy Advocate to be with you. Pray, read scripture, and regularly receive Christ in the Eucharist. The struggle is a cross. Carry it and let it be your prayer. Offer that cross for the people you "will to love."
LOVE PEOPLE USE THINGS
**in a new light**
I remember Matt 25:35-36. Christ is in every person and with every person no matter where they are in their walk with Him. People have souls. People are to love not to use. Even the ones who are hard to love. The best advice I could give you is to remember that. Pray for his or her soul and when you encounter people try to remember that person is a Child of God and soul.
In faith,
Britney Diaz-Roman
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