Are You Protecting or Violating?

Triumphant Victorious Reminders
Inspired by the Holy Spirit
Written by: Teresa Criswell

"Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of judgment, and this shows that His love has not been perfected in us. We love each other as a result of His loving us first."
~ I John 4:18-19 ~

"How dare you!" followed by the sound of a heavy slap across his face.

The quietness became louder than the disturbing slap. His whole countenance slumped over as though he died. All that remained was a zombie of 'going through the motions'.

Her loud cries of offense revealed the distorted perspective of her past betrayals. His quietness of frustration and at his wits' end, followed by the continual thoughts, "I can't do this anymore. No matter what I do or say, she is not convinced that I am true to her; that I love her."

Every attempt to cover her with his love; she rejects with hateful words, belittling him. She was a victim who is now the perpetrator.

She believes she protects herself; yet, she is a victim of none other than herself. The charge? Victim and perpetrator of theft and robbery.

She has robbed herself from the very act of love.

Not only has she robbed from herself, but also this man, her husband. He has been robbed in the act of receiving from her; a daughter of royalty, who only identifies with peasantry.

Is this you?

Have you been rejecting others unintentionally as you truthfully assumed you were protecting yourself. What you thought was protection was truly violation from receiving what is rightfully yours. Could it be possible that you may experience rejection? O yes!
But the risk is beautiful.
How could this be? It is beautiful because relationships are formed.
Will those relationships be hurt proof? Absolutely not...but you know what comes forth?
The beauty of getting to know another human being, who God knew before they were ever formed in their mother's womb. Enduring with them in love. Working through in love. Allowing love to triumph in ALL situations.

I urge and beg you and myself to break down the walls of seclusion and be vulnerable to one of the most beautiful gifts that God designed...the beauty of relationships.

Let us not slap the One Who loves us the most, by rejecting those He loves...yes, even the most unlovable. For I was once the one who many ran from...yet, I needed someone to run to me. When the 'Christians' had given up on me, there were good people in the world who God utilized to open my eyes to see my selfish ways.

I needed someone to say, "You are worth fighting for. You may drain me more times than you fill me up, but I am still here." I want to be the one who echoes the words of my beautiful Savior, the Lifter of my Head when everyone else saw that my head should remain hanging in shame. Praise God there was the One who spoke forth, "You are worthy". The shame I carried was from my own doing; but who will stand for the ones that I once was?

I am grateful for my parents and my sisters who truly loved me unconditionally...they didn't rescue me from myself; but they loved me in spite of myself.

Will we discover the potential within ourselves to love?
As we do this, we can then properly discover the potential within others, not rescuing them, but showing them how they can be rescued.
As we discover, we then develop others by the power of the One Who develops us...Jesus! This is true discipling.
We can then teach others how to discover and develop; constantly paying true love forward.