It took me a long time to realize that true love is NOT feelings; feelings change like waves. It’s either there or not. When I was a kid, I used to pick flowers, and with each peddle I pulled off, I would say, “He loves me, He loves me not, and the last peddle determined what I wanted; the illusion that someone other than God could love me especially when I fail Him. But, unfortunately, the silly things we believed as children, and still today, we get trapped in the illusion that gifts, Valentines, roses, stuffed animals, and such symbolize true love, especially with the wrong person. Yes, when gifts are given by someone who truly loves, they touch the heart in unique ways; the value of such gifts is more precious than diamonds or gold. The gift of True Love, Jesus Christ, came into the world even while we were still in sin and laid down His Life for us (Romans 5).
One day while purchasing books for my upcoming class at the college library, another student and I talked about our classes. She said she was taking art and said she loved art. I told her I loved to write stories and had a children’s manuscript that needed illustrations, but I couldn’t afford to pay for the work. She asked what the synopsis was. I told her it was about a spotted lamb named Mahle who ran away from the fold and God because he wasn’t spotless like the other sheep. He was sad, lonely, discouraged, and angry and constantly suffered from (DIRE) Difficulties in Interpersonal Regulations of Emotions. He often got into trouble or put himself in danger because of his actions, like when a wolf almost ate him, but a Lion called Laish rescued the lamb daily. She chuckled at the story and said it was cute, but then she looked sad and asked, what happens at the end of the day? Does God still love him? I said, the Lion is God, and He is Love. She said, then that changes everything; her perspective was changed, and I believed this was a divine appointment orchestrated by the Holy Spirit.
Valentine’s Day is coming, and this is an excellent opportunity for the wolves to be on the prowl for another victim; don’t be the victim, be alert, and be watchful of the signs. The Lord reveals red flags and warns us. Like beautiful roses, we soon fade and die if not nurtured and cared for by the right person. Sadly, we fall into these traps and suffer the consequences because we are lonely and discouraged. We wonder if God even cares or loves us. As I did, we have suffered from multiple traumas and emotional abuse for decades. The gifts of the world are useless, and we blame God when we fail to listen to Him and suffer the consequences because, like fools, we rush into relationships not meant for us. “Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil so that I take part in wicked deeds; do not let me eat their delicacies” Psalm 141:4, NKJV. Take off the Rose Colored Glasses, pay attention to the Red Flags, know the pattern, and revert to these words when you feel discouraged, “He loves me, He loves me.” And keep walking with the Lord on your Day’s Journey. The Lord will bring that special someone to you.
References, Works Cited: Messina I, Spataro P, Grecucci A, Marogna C, Dixon-Gordon KL. Difficulties in interpersonal regulation of emotions (DIRE) questionnaire: Psychometric Properties of the Italian Version and Associations with psychopathological symptoms. J Psychopathol Behav Assess. 2022;44(4):1126-1134. doi: 10.1007/s10862-022-09992-6. Epub 2022 Aug 3. PMID: 35967513; PMCID: PMC9362436.
(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9362436/.).
Psalms 141:4, Romans 5