Journey with Della

Have you ever gotten to that place where there are more questions in your mind than there are answers about some of the good you have purposed in your heart to do for others?
Has it ever crossed your mind that all that effort is not necessary and you started considering letting it all go in order that you can at least avoid being misunderstood so much?
Have you ever wondered why something done out of pure love could end up being so misunderstood and misrepresented by the very people for whom you are making all the sacrifices of love?
Do you sometimes feel taken for granted regardless of all the selfless love you show and all the sacrifices you make just so others can be comfortable?

Well the list could go on and on but if you answered “yes” to any of those questions then that makes two of us. Life can sometimes be so frustrating as we seek to live it as best we know how. The fact that no two people are the same makes the issue even more complicated than it already is. At any one time, hardly will you find any two people who see the world through the same lens. So almost always there is some sort of the six blind men and the elephant interpretation of life and all that comes with it going on. Remember the story? Which of them do you think was wrong? Well you probably know by now that none of them was. They each gave a description of what they “saw” that was as concise as could be. So why were the descriptions so different?

Perspective!!! That’s why. You and I may not be physically blind but just like those six blind men, we are definitely blind to the views or perspectives of others and that explains why seeing eye to eye is such a near impossible task. So if it is that hard to see eye to eye with the people in our circle of influence, what do we do to enhance our relationships with others? In what direction do we invest our efforts to make things work and reduce tension? And how do we do that when even the efforts wrapped in so much love get thrown out the window by the people we care about and are doing all we can to live well with?

As always I do not claim to have all the answers to those very important questions but as I have dealt with situations like that in my own life, I have learnt some lessons which I will share with you in hopes that they can offer you some help. The very first thing I must establish is that there is nothing wrong with you! I know that when you get misunderstood too often by too many people there is a tendency to start thinking that there must be something wrong with you. But truth be told, you are just as “normal” as all the other 7 billion people in the world. Funny isn’t it? So who decides exactly what it means to be “normal”? Well that is not the subject of today’s post so let’s leave it for some other time.

The picture of normal I want to share with you today is, to me, the only one that matters because it is the one that is determined by a lens different from ours. A lens that is not tainted by our personal preferences or biases and one that is not affected by the preferences or biases of any other person in this world. The significance of this lens lies in the fact that it does not end in this world. It is the same lens through which you and I will be viewed when all is said and done in this life and we welcome our eternity. Such a lens is worth serious consideration, if you ask me.

The major thing about this worldview that I think is worth looking into here is one that sets the foundation for all else that could be said and done on the topic. It is this four lettered word LOVE!!!
How does the thing that you are doing look in the mirror of God’s love? Love that is not because of but inspite of. Love that is not based on the nature or deeds of the loved but based on the love that we ourselves have received from the Lord. It is the kind of love that leaves its subject helpless because it is never frustrated and does not give up. It is not self-seeking but self-giving. It is not irritable or boastful but rejoices even if no one notices it’s effort and sacrifice. It neither keeps a record of wrongs nor is it easily angered. It is a love that always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. How do all the efforts you have invested reflect in that mirror?

If your efforts fall short of the characteristics of this God-kind of love, then the reason they are not appreciated by the subject of your love is that they are not genuine. Let us face it, sometimes we put up a show for ourselves and for those in our “world” because we are seeking to either impress of create an impression. Is it any wonder then that all our efforts yield not results? But on the other hand, if your efforts are motivated by a desire to be who God wants you to be and love like He does, then it may be received with the same love that it is intended but it could still be misunderstood. Regardless of how it is received, let us realize that it is about such efforts that conform with God’s image that the Bible encourages us not to become weary of doing good in order that in the proper time we will reap a reward – Gal 6:7-10. So while anything short of that is all wasted, nothing we do for the Lord is ever wasted – 1 Cor. 15:58.

So then beloved, let us not get weary and give up because no effort or time invested in love is ever wasted. You may bot see immediate results but remember always that even if the results are not seen in your lifetime, God’s word is true. None of it is wasted.

Arrrrrggggghhhhh!!!!! Does that make it any easier? Well maybe. Will that take away all the frustration you feel sometimes? I don’t think so. So what should we do now? LOVE ON!!!!!