I think that it's easier to give love than to receive love. At least, it's how I understand why many people keep their distance from those who love them. Whenever they think and believe that they're unworthy of love, they shy away and refuse to accept it. Their self-critical attitude ― NOT people ― disqualifies them from deserving love. In the process, they can't return love; rather, they reciprocate love with pain.
By not knowing how to receive love, we also fail to love. We can continue the cycle of love ONLY if we give and take. When we give and not want to receive, the giver feels unappreciated and repelled. They most likely won't wanna give anymore. When we don't give and just keep taking, people feel abused. Wisdom speaks balance. Although, it is possible (and is actually recommended) to love without expectation of return, it is everyone's responsibility to learn and practice both giving and taking to maintain the cycle.
One of the biggest lies people believe is the word "unworthy". They always think that they gotta work to deserve love. In fact, they have their perceived standard of how love should look like. When others don't meet that standard, they consider them unworthy. By this standard they qualify who is deserving and who isn't. Similarly, they can't receive love because they're over-critical of their own selves. They don't meet the standard they formulated in their mind, so they think of themselves unworthy. The result? Love hindered.
What we all need to absorb is that love is freely given. It's a gift. We don't need to toil to earn it. It's something bestowed regardless of our performance, behavior and appearance. We need to understand that there are simply loving people sent into our lives to make a difference. To bring out the best in us. To ignite what good within us that went hiding for long due to past failures, hurt and disappointments. People are God-sent messengers of love to help us become the persons we ought to be. These kinds of people see through us. They see beyond the monsters we are outwardly. If we just know how to receive love, we'll be able to see through ourselves, as well. They are the people who define us not with our mistakes and defects. They're the mirrors of our souls.
God chose to love us. We don't have to earn it. We only have to respond to it. God gives us loving people as gifts. We don't need to buy gifts, do we? No. What needs to be done is to receive and then appreciate. No matter how we think and feel we're undeserving of love because of who we are and what sins we've committed, remember that it's not about us. It's the giver's choice to give. We don't respond to kindness in a hurtful way, in stead, with gratitude and thankfulness. Those are enough to deserve a love so great.
If you know how it feels like to be rejected, you won't dare reject anyone, would you? Refusing love is rejecting love. We live in this world where INVESTMENT has become more important than the real important needs of every individual. It's sad, that even in loving, we act as investors. Our value is only as good as our performance. But being deserving of love isn't measured by performance. Truth is, nobody deserves love. We all fail. We all will malfunction at one point in this lifetime. No matter how good we do now, there'll be a time when we'll do badly. But, that doesn't nullify all the rest of the good we've done through the years. Love should, in fact, be our inspiration to be better than we were yesterday. It should cause us to change our ways.
Quit running from God while HE runs after you with HIS unconditional love only because you feel guilty, shy or whatever. Stop refusing a love being given to you. Don't shoo God and people away only because of insecurity, critical-mindedness, and feelings of unworthiness. You only need to offer your palm and take it. No requirements needed. Just your open heart.
“My identity and my securityare not in my spiritual progress.My identity and my securityare in God’s acceptance of megiven as a gift in Christ.”― J.D. Greear
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