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The Love that Constrains!
04. August 2018 at 18:46
"Why do I have to condone rubbish? I don't take nonsense! You step on my toes, I deal with you!'' These and many other like them are found on our lips at certain times of conflict. Conflict, as I have come to discover, is a great tool for development in all spheres if we can cultivate a welcoming demeanor at such times.
We will never know we have the capacity to exhibit some traits that are out of course until we go through some challenges, have a change of environment or status, and meet certain set of people.

I came to the Northern part of Nigeria for the first time by NYSC mobilization as I was posted to Gusau, Zamfara state. Being a new feat for me, I was anticipating my stay there. I even had the vision of reaching out the gospel of Christ to the inhabitants as wisdom will teach me. Little did I know that my ambition was just borne out of enthusiasm and I will have encounters that will either prove the vision true or just a wish. After encountering the climatic and atmospheric conditions, recklessness and nonchalant attitude from Bike riders, exploitation and language barrier first hand, my energy was sapped and my anticipation became sour.

I developed an unidentified unpleasant emotion for the place and the inhabitants, that it started affecting my disposition towards my students and my work. I discovered it was my life that should do most of the preaching not even my mouth when the Lord asked me the question, ‘do you know you have the tendency to hate?’ I was shocked! So, I could hate?!

Before we encounter certain situations in our lives, we might have thought we could endure some things or that we could love unfailingly, and not be affected by anything no matter how bad. We evaluate ourselves most times by our immediate environment, experiences and achievements, thinking we have acquired the full measure of the Spirit but the measurement of God is totally different like he said that as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are his ways higher than our ways and his thoughts than our thoughts.

He knows the perfect state of our souls, knows how much we have been saved and orchestrates salvation processes for us. The Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart. And not a creature exists that is concealed from His sight, but all things are open and exposed, naked and defenseless to the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do.

His Love is the measurement for our living. That Love is not locational, situational, conditional, sentimental nor personal. Thus, everything we do, think, say, live out must measure up to what His Love entails in righteousness, faith, and all godly standards. If it does not, then the process to attain it continues because all things in and about us must submit to it and take cue from it.

Several times we mistaken His benevolence for our goodness and his chastisement and dealings with us for his lack of love. Whatever it is we think it to be, it is the workings of His love for us and for the purpose He has called us unto Himself for the Lord corrects and disciplines everyone whom He loves, and He punishes, even scourges, every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes. Some times we blame ourselves so much for our misdeeds and could not find help coming to us to live better. This is not supposed to be so! We are to come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Therefore, as much as we are still on this side of time, we are subjected to processes that will bring us fully into His Love and until we attain that, we will keep being constrained by His Love, through people or situations. It is the love of Christ that controls and urges and impels us, because we are of the opinion and conviction that [if] One died for all, then all died.

So, let’s keep opening our hearts to the Lord’s dealings, die to our flesh and allow Love to conquer us always!
Cite This Article As: Mary Joy Orola . "The Love that Constrains!." International Youth Journal, 04. August 2018.

Link To Article: https://youth-journal.org/the-love-that-constrains





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