Unconditional Love

Unconditional love. Wow, is it costly. I did not know until recently that I did not love people unconditionally. My journey through parenthood has been showing me that as long as my kids do what I think is right and acceptable it is relatively easy to love them, but what happens when they have their own ideas?

I found out that when someone I love has a different set of beliefs than me,that they are operating out of, I have a very difficult time loving them. Needless to say this begins to show through my actions and speech in short order. Why is that? Why is it that I can't love my child fully unless he/she is living the way I want them to? Is it all about control? Not sure. Is it all about protecting them? I don't know. But I do know that my children deserve my love just because they are my kids, not because of how they are living.

By not loving unconditionally, we actually push those we love away. The very thing that we are trying to avoid. I am thankful today, that I am learning how to love without conditions. It is not easy, but it is so worth it. My kids are worth it. So are yours.

Unconditional love is not by any means easy, but it is so rewarding. It actually has the potential to take a lot of pressure off of your relationships. Can you imagine how much better your relationships would be if the ones you love new that they did not have to earn that love?

It seems like an epiphany to me. I did not know that kind of love growing up so I have a very difficult time operating in it, but I am so relieved that I still get the chance to show it to my kids. Just because it is hard does not mean it is not worth it. I wish I would have know this before I had a family, it would have made life a lot easier for all of us through out the years. I guess all I can do now is look forward to better relationships with my family, friends and even the Lord.

God's love is unconditional love, and I think that I am finally beginning to understand that. Praise the Lord.

I strongly urge you to search out your own heart. Do you love people unconditionally? Or, do they feel as though they have to earn your love?