Reflect on that time when you felt most loved. Where were you? Who were you with? Was it light-filled or dark where you were? Do you remember any fragrances? How about what you were touching, something soft or rough? This is a good exercise to recall loving moments.
Sometimes it's good to reflect, but we are called to reimagine our calling to spread the word of God through which Jesus shared with others. We can reclaim that feeling of love and rejoice for eternity.
I remember when I was a teenager, I struggled with accepting that I was loved and that I was enough. I often turned to others for affirmation. I felt if I talked through what was bothering me that I could let it go, and again be free to move forward with a fresh mindset, and feel lighter. I'm not sure if feeling lighter also made me open to love, but it's almost like I had a hard edge for protection. I also used silliness to fill the air with laughter, joy and love.
I now know, after having raised 3 children and having 3 teenagers in the house, that this is almost a transition phase from the innocence of childhood, to learning how to cope in this world, and part of becoming an adult. It was a time of breaking free from my parent's form of love to learning to receive love from others.
However, we have to love ourselves. And because we are from God, we have the accessibility from God to hold love within us. Like anything, loving well is something we must practice constantly. That practice starts with our own self-talk or thoughts.
1John 4: 8-10 “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, of God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. “
Hold love close on your mind this week, and project love to others, for we are commanded to love others. When your thoughts wander, continue to practice by resetting those thoughts that spark action, to focus on love and goodness. As a dear friend said this week, “Go do your job!” as God commanded you to “love others!”
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