Do You Love Me?

God says, 'The reason why some people have turned against you and walked away from you without reason has nothing to do with you.  It is because I have removed them from your life because they cannot go where I am taking you next.  They would only hinder you at the next level because they have already served their purpose in  your life.  Let them go and keep moving.  Greater is coming your way.'

If you know me, you know that I have trouble letting people go.  I love seeing a stranger become a close friend, I love receiving the smile of a classmate from across the lawn, I love discovering people one conversation at a time.  As life may have it though, people move away, friends become strangers, people you hoped that would stay close end up lost in the chaos that is life.

Sometimes I'm relieved by this.  Sometimes people are toxic and it's important to distance yourself.  

But sometimes people are wonderful, though they are simply no longer in your life.  

This past year and a half has been (although a roller coaster) SUCH an important time for self discovery.   I think the most important thing I've learned over the last two years though surprises me.  I've found that I am who I believe I am.  You are who you believe you are.  

Whatever you believe about yourself on the inside is what you will manifest on the outside.

As I was taking a hike with a friend tonight, as per usual he had a way of putting everything in perspective.  There are times when you look back and realize that there are some people you never thought would stay in your life, but you are so grateful they are.  It's times like these that make letting go of others so much easier.  

Our biggest battle is a battle of the mind.  We believe we need others to validate ourselves.  We convince ourselves that we must live up to certain expectations.  As my friend so perfectly stated, we think we need to perform well, to DO something in order to deserve to be loved.  

This is the biggest lie Satan wants us to believe.

Do you believe this?  Do you struggle with the idea of having to perform well to be loved?  That you have to fit a certain image?  That you have to work for your worth?  It's so driven into our society, our culture, our humanity that we must earn our value.  I know I struggle with the idea of failure.  I struggle with letting people down.  Disappointing someone else is so incredibly painful for me to endure.  I think that's the downfall; wanting so badly to be what someone needs that you start to lose who you are to try and be who they want you to be.  The biggest problem inevitably follows: you subconsciously put up walls.  Soon enough, you may fit someone else's image for awhile, but you never let them behind the curtain.  You keep them at an arms distance because it's safer.  You inflict pain on yourself because then no one else can hurt you.  Your walls keep them out.  That's the struggle with wanting to fill the emptiness that someone else feels.  An emptiness that only God can overcome.


Jesus asked Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?"
"Yes, Lord," Peter replied, "you know I love you."
"Then feed my lambs," Jesus told him.
Jesus repeated the question: "Simon son of John, do you love me?"
"Yes, Lord," Peter said, "you know I love you."
"Then take care of my sheep," Jesus said.
A third time he asked him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"
Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time.  He said, "Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Then feed my sheep."

We forget that in Jesus' words come love for ourselves, love for our neighbors, love for Him.  We love because he first loved us.  We love our neighbors because they are made in His image.  We then must realize to love ourselves because of who we are and to whom we belong.  Jesus was talking about feeding his sheep, a command of action.  I think a huge part of that command though is to remember that you too, are his sheep.  You too, need to be fed with love.  You too, deserve love.  

Not performances based, earn-your-way love, but love freely given, a love that only God can give.

Rejoice that the Lord brings people into your life and out of your life.  Rejoice that He has a greater plan for you.  Rejoice that He has made you in his image.

No go, and feed His sheep.





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