Thursday, May 22, 2008

Healing love

My biggest aim as a facilitator of the Living Room mood disorders support group is to help participants learn about and experience the love of God. It's when hurting people understand how much God loves them that healing can best occur. I know this, because this has been my experience.

It was when I was in the depths of depression that a person who I held in great esteem told me she loved me and that she would always love me, no matter what I said or did. This person is a very godly person and I knew that what she said came from God and that God was expressing Himself through her. And what a difference it made to me!

Now, when I help others through tough times, I remember what my friend did for me and I try to do this for others. I ask God to fill me with His love and to help me share that love with the people I meet. This is one prayer I can be confident that God will answer.

1 John 4:12 says, "No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." It's through those of us who love God that God reveals Himself.

But God's love is unfathomable; it's beyond measure. We can only show a part of it, but we can do it with abandon. We need to accept others as Jesus did, using Him as our example, following in His footsteps. Jesus loved everyone - the poor, the sinners, the sick. He touched the untouchables and His loving touch made them well.

God's commandments that sum up all commandments given in the Bible is to love God with all our heart and soul and strength and to love our neighbour as we love ourselves. God IS love. If only the whole world could share in this love! What a better place this planet would be!

But we each have a little corner of the world - a little sphere of influence - people surrounding us who we can love - people whom we can help to heal. Let us ask God to help us share His love with them...with abandon.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

You speak the truth! God is so much love, so big love, so wonderful love - beyond what we can fathom! Sometimes just thinking about Him makes me long for heaven - not in a suicidal or depressed way but in the way you would long for a friend or loved-one you haven't seen in a long time. I love Him. I can't wait to see Him. Won't it be awesome!
See you there!

Love,
angie

Nancie said...

Marja,

Thank God for loving us through the people around us. When I was in the depths of depression, a few friends assured me of their unconditional love. I knew then that God loves me and He was loving me through them!

Now I tried to do the same for friends who are suffering. There is sometime very little I can do to help them or even encourage them. I just assured them of my prayers and love. I let God love them through me. Yes God's love is unfathomable; it's beyond measure. We can only show a part of it and what a privilege that God is delighted to use us in small ways to show His love.

Thanks for your labours of love at The Living Room. May God continue to shine forth His love to His suffering children through you and others at Living Room!

Nancie

Spin Original said...

I honestly cannot understand how others make it through life without God as an active part in it. It's the knowledge that He loves me and the promise of Heaven that keeps me going - especially on the days when things are tough. Those who haven't surrendered their life to Him are truly missing out. What a job we have to tell them of God's unconditional love!

Good post, Mom! ;)

JC said...

hey just wanted to let you know my blog address changed, so you'll need to update your links- i'm still at blogger but my link is now jena-fun.blogspot.com :)

Spin Original said...

Hello Marja,

I just wanted to say that I miss you and hope you come back soon!!

Hope all is well.