Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I’m moving a little slower than usual this morning but not so slow that I overlook my Time with the Love of my Life. It’s in His Presence that my soul is nourished and it’s in His presence that my life becomes laser-focused, so I can’t afford NOT to go before His Throne to see what He has for me each day. If I want the most FROM Him then I need to GIVE Him the most of me. Isn’t that the way the Journey of Faith is supposed to work?

It’s a little odd when you think about it – almost every day we encounter a challenge in life where one person is expecting more from another person than they’re willing to give themselves. Often they’ll draw an invisible line in the sand before you can say “amen” when they feel wronged or hurt. But how can we expect someone else to give more than we’re willing to give in any relationship? Sometimes we hear about things that happened a long time ago as a reminder of what they’ve done for us as if the reminder will set us straight and justify the circumstances. This is true especially when they’re fighting for their “rights” or licking their wounds in self-pity. But aren’t we supposed to do for others because it’s the right thing to do and not something we hold in our pocket to someday rub in their face should they dare to cause us pain? Some people have a mental checklist they pull out whenever they think it’s needed…a list of all the good things they’ve done for us and all of the bad things we’ve done “to” them. But isn’t forgiveness all about letting it go and not about using it as a weapon in the future?

Sometimes people love unconditionally while expecting absolutely nothing in return. Somehow they feel validated by their commitment to the relationship, and they’ve somehow been convinced that they are supposed to live the life of a martyr when it comes to love. They’ll continue to take the “abuses” and they’ll settle for never receiving the love they express to the other year after year after year…but it’s not supposed to be that way either. Even Christ, the ultimate Authority on Forgiveness expects something in return and He is THE example of the balance of Love…though there is NOTHING WE CAN DO TO EARN His love or His forgiveness, He does expect us to give Him our whole Heart while He “keeps no record of wrong”. It’s when we give Him our Heart that we genuinely desire to build a Relationship with Him. When we don’t desire to build our Relationship with Him there is something dramatically wrong with the Heart….and so it is in other relationships too.

It doesn’t matter if it is a parent-child relationship, a friendship, a business partnership, or a marriage God puts people together for a Purpose and the Purpose is never that it be a docile one-way street..the Purpose is to Glorify Himself in ways we can’t begin to imagine….but we have to do our part too. When it comes to love, change is needed, sacrifice is needed, a balance is needed, correction is needed and growth is non-negotiable. Each relationship we have should be an example of unconditional Love and Forgiveness…with balance and growth. When it’s not that way, either something needs to “give” in order to glorify the God of all Creation OR we need to walk away. Merely existing through this Journey called Life is NOT part of His Master Plan…He leaves that part to the simple animal with no ability to love or to reason.

I know what it is to nurture a relationship and unfortunately, I know what it is to destroy one. I’ve learned what God expects of me in every relationship and I’m willing to do my part with His help BUT I also understand that there is sometimes a Divine time to walk away from the one-way streets that lead to dead-ends day after day. Those relationships where no amount of giving makes a true difference in the heart of the other and no amount of godly leadership or Inspired Words inspire change. Though I might be inclined to keep trying out of guilt, guilt should never be the basis of any relationship and guilt alone doesn’t have enough fuel to fire the heart. Guilt-driven relationships will most often lead to resentment in time…there is nothing Christ-like in that! When I walk away I do it with kindness and compassion…AND without drama. When I walk away I do it out of Love and not vengeance. When I walk away it hurts me too, but if I am to become all that He has for me to be, then I need to put what He has for me above all else.

Life is a balancing act and I’m getting better at it every day…with His help, that is. We have a Relationship of “give and take” and one that will NEVER lead to a dead-end street. He taught me what Love really looks like and He has Shown me how to Sacrifice whenever it’s needed. After all, He Loved me enough to die for me and there is no end to His Forgiveness. So, each day is a New Day to Express the Love of Jesus Christ and to Strive to be the best Reflection of Him I can be.

How about you?