Emergency Exit

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” When you think of your future what do you see? If you are in a situation that is physically or mentally abusive, have you ever taken a moment to ask yourself is this really love? Is there more and what is the purpose for my life? Too often we put our hopes and trust in man, and man may often disappoint you or lead you astray from God’s will for your life. See God has no plans to harm you, so you don’t have to settle for anyone who desires to do the opposite. Understanding God’s love is so important because it will help you understand how to love and how to be loved. There are endless ways to describe love, but I think it’s important to highlight what love is not. “It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres” (1 Corinthians 13:5-7), “There is no fear in love, perfect love drives out fear…The one who fears is not made perfect in love” ( 1 John 4:18). While we are to have a reverential fear for God, this is not the same as a tormenting or scary fear. Have you experienced a life-threatening fear from someone that says they love you? Or has this become normal in your current relationship? Understand that fear and love do not go hand in hand, and you are deserving of a love that protects you from harm and not causes it. Sometimes we allow our significant other to do hurtful things to us in the name of love, but maybe we just don’t understand what love really is. 

Jesus said, two of the greatest commandments is to love the Lord with all your heart, mind, and soul; and to love your neighbor as yourself. So how can someone love us as they love themselves? Well the bible instructs man specifically on how to do that in Ephesians 5:25-33; but let’s focus on verses 28-30. “In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church”. Now knowing that the bible says that, does a man demonstrate his love for you if he doesn’t care for your body when he abuses you. If he takes care of his temple but abuses yours is that love? Or on the contrary, if he hasn’t demonstrated that he loves himself how then can he love you the way you need and deserved to be love.Naturally we look to the world, social media, friends, and family on what we should do in situations that leave us broken. But we have the greatest resource in the Lord our God, and the greatest example of love in Jesus. Allow God to come into your heart and show you what love is and give you hope and a future. Love is something we are commanded to do, so it’s important that we know what love is, how to love, and how to be loved. 1 “And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13)