I want to propose to you that for many of you the “difficult love” is not so much loving those God has placed in your life (although they may indeed be difficult to love), but the “difficult love” is loving yourself.   Christ’s new commandment is that we love others as He has loved us.  If we don’t have that part straight–knowing His love for us–it is very, very difficult to love others.  (Not that we can use that for an excuse for not loving others.  It just makes it much more difficult.)

Deacon Steve and I were praying with a friend recently who experiences a tremendous amount of self-hatred.  While we were praying, he shared this image that was coming to mind.  He saw my friend in the midst of a crowd of people on a road.  There was a person lying by the side of the road, and everyone was walking by her.  (Sound familiar?)  My friend went over to the person who was in such distress and pain and gently turned her over–only to discover that the person was herself.  Her immediate response was to run away, but she overcame herself and picked “herself” up and cared for her with gentleness and mercy.”

I will leave you with that story to think upon.

More on this tomorrow.