I have continued to "chew" on this whole concept of Loving Deeper - Hurting Deeper. I wrote a post on it awhile ago as I was thinking about the greater the capacity to grieve and hurt - the greater the capacity to love and be loved.
As my heart has been "ripped" open these past few months from grief and sadness, I have found a greater capacity within me to love and be loved. I have greater empathy for those who suffer around me. I have found a deeper bond of friendship with those closest to me. I have a desire to comfort and love unlike I have never before.
The capacity of my heart for LOVE has been increased. Yet at the same time, I've found the ability to wound and be wounded has also been increased. I discovered the wounds and scars of hurts from the past. I have found there are wounds that have not healed right and/or were long forgotten. They are forgotten no longer. Past issues - with family, friends that were of no issue before, suddenly, they are an issue. Every matter (trivial or not) has become 10x - no 100x magnified.
We say things we should never say. Feelings are hurt. Hearts are broken. Scabbed wounds are reopened. New wounds are created. A heart-felt "I'm sorry" simply will not do. (Though we have convinced our children that's all thats needed). And although I have found a greater capacity to love and be loved - I have also found a greater capacity to wound and to be wounded.
I Peter 4:8 says:
Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.
As much as I may have been hurt, wounded, crushed or broken...I have found that Love is GREATER! If I truely love someone, I am willing to "look over" the wounds a person has caused and maybe look a little deeper and see the wound in the others heart.
I'm not saying I haven't been hurt. I'm not saying I'm ignoring what has happened or not addressing a sin. That's not the case. But what I am saying is that my love for that person is greater than my wound. I am willing to forgive. I am willing to "overlook" the flaws of another. I am willing to recognize that their heart too has a capacity to love and be loved; to wound and be wounded. And that maybe, just maybe, they are speaking, they are acting out of a wounded heart themselves.
And furthermore, that the greater the wound, the greater their love. They say those closest to us hurt us the greatest. I guess because they love us more - they have the capacity to wound us more...and viceversa.
I feel challenged and feel the need to challenge others to LOVE MORE. FORGIVE MORE. Yes, the wounds hurt. Words sting. Actions divide. But I have learned and recognized, this life is way too short for us to continue to walk around with unforgiveness and bitterness.
We must learn to get beyond our wounds and hurts and allow forgiveness so that we too can be forgiven.
Because in forgiveness, we will find greater love, greater healing for our own hearts.
