Reckless Love
In my prayers for you this morning, I have been searching for words that communicate what I want your hearts to gain from these next days as we approach Easter. Reading through favorite commentaries and well-known prayers of saints, nothing felt like it fit my thoughts exactly. For me, this Lent has been a bit of a personal failure. Relying on my own self-discipline failed me real hard this time around. Trying to go through the motions of giving up something tangible or saying an extra daily prayer without seeking the help of God or making it a spiritual practice has made my weakness all the more pronounced.
However, what this Lent revealed was deeper than my normal sacrifice of giving up social media. What God made an extra point to show me this year was His love for me. The depths of God’s love for humanity is something I’ve always had a difficult time wrapping my mind around. My logic takes over and the self-loathing of how many times I fall short gets in the way of fully experiencing God’s love. In looking back, I can see God’s love for me in my life. I saw His care for me when my heart was broken into a million pieces, I saw His love when he gave me supernatural peace through devastating times, and I saw/see His love as he pieces me back together time and time again. It’s in the day to day that I’ve had to learn to accept the love though. Not only in the monumental sorrow, but in the newborn feedings and cooking dinner.
Whether you’re in a place of trauma today and or simply in your daily routines, I am praying that you too will experience this love on a new level as I did. During this season of Lent, I had the song, Reckless Love, on repeat most days. Give it a listen as it really spoke to me. I like the word reckless in this sense because it describes how you can’t escape the nature of His love. It finds us wherever we are and is here to stay.
On a separate note, if you’re familiar with the Easter story, then you know the infamous roles Peter and Judas played. I’ve really connected this week with Jesus on a level of the betrayal and denial he experienced from his closest friends. They denied and betrayed him during such a pivotal time. Most of us who’ve experienced an affair or deep betrayal in our marriage know how devastating it is. I encourage you to unite this pain with the same disappointment that Jesus felt. Head over to Blessed is She and read their piece on 3 Saints to Turn to During Times of Betrayal. Connect with those saints, knowing you're not alone. I am praying you experience the essence of God’s love and find peace knowing that even Jesus experienced the sting of betrayal by those closest to him. As always, my love and prayers are with you.