Do Not Withhold Love

In today's Our Daily Bread, Amy Peterson told about a daily practice she started with her children at bedtime.  They light a candle, and asking God to light their way, they get out their journals and draw or write answers to these two questions. . . 

• When did I show love today?
• When did I withhold love today?

Personally, I think we need only ask ourselves the second question because it would cover all the bases.  As Christians it is our calling to let the love of Christ dwell in us.  Our "job" is to not quench His Spirit.  When we achieve that we can't help but love others.  

So instead, I will pay close attention and ask God to show me where I am withholding the love He has given me.  Where am I hoarding His grace?  This could be in not forgiving someone when they wrong me or not helping someone I know has a need that God wants me to fulfill.  Or it could be focusing only on myself to the point of not noticing someone needs a smile or help loading their groceries into their car.  There are a myriad ways of withholding love that we don't notice because we are too focused on ourselves.

But there is also another way in which we withhold love--when we are too afraid to confront someone who is making poor choices or have mistaken beliefs because we don't want to bear the brunt of their anger when they hear a truth they aren't willing to face.   

I had a friend who was battling ovarian cancer years ago and I tried to help her see it as a gift from God to draw her closer to Him.  She took it as criticism and shunned me for months.  It was she who had given me the embroidered piece above long before this incident.  I did not give up on her and continued to pray for her and hoped we could be friends again.  Eventually, after several attempts to reconcile with her, she finally accepted me back into her life a few months before she succumbed to the cancer.  

I visited her the day before she died and she admitted her pride had gotten the better of her.  I was sorry for those lost months of not being with her, but don't regret my attempt to help her.  I have to believe speaking the truth in love was what God had called me to do.  If I had kept quiet I would have been withholding the love I had for my friend to help her understand that God works in ways we do not always comprehend.  That having faith means to trust that God wants only what is best for us in the long run.   We can't look at the flesh and determine all is well, but rather it is the heart--our position in Christ--that matters.

Lord, you know how hard it is for me to speak Your truth to those who may not be ready to hear it and how when I do, it often causes me to doubt myself and makes me want to hide away when it is not received well.  May I always remain true to Your Love and share it in all the ways you desire.

Link to scripture:  1 John 3:18

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