“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.” (Rumi)
Hmm, isn’t that the truth. It’s kind of sad to think about how much time and effort we as humans put into building walls and barriers. We get hurt by a friend, we get hurt by a family member, we get hurt by a pastor or someone who claims to love Christ, or we just hurt. While it is sad that we put up walls, it’s human nature.
This reminds me of a verse in Revelation: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.” It makes me think that God knows that we put up walls, but that He will seek us out and knock… and wait.
I don’t even want to think about all the barriers I put up in my own personal life due to fear, or hurt, or just wanting privacy. But I can’t let those transfer into my relationship with God. In fact, I think I need to be more vulnerable in all relationships.
Today our pastor talked during the sermon about how disciples bear fruit. A tree or plant can’t bear fruit or flowers or vegetables if it’s kept hidden away with no water and no sun. It has to be made vulnerable to the elements, and only then can it bloom.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
mercies per mile 