Loving Regardless

Have you ever had people in your life who had such a huge impact on you that you feel totally incapable of putting it all into words, like you wouldn't even be able to give them justice. I have been so blessed to have countless people in my life who have loved me, encouraged me, spoke truth into my life, supported me, allowed me to be me and so much more. I can't begin to explain all the different people and their impacts however I do want to share a more recent impact. This past summer I had the blessing of being a part of a community that required me to bear with others, love them where they were and more importantly get over myself for the bigger picture. I learned to be honest, vulnerable and accepting through it all and because of it I stand today with friendships that mean the world to me. One of which made the whole concept of Love Regardless so real in my life.

Before the end of the summer God showed me just how real the statement is that you never know what someone has been through or what they are going through. The icing on the cake to this lesson happened while sitting around a fire having someone share their pains and struggles. To be honest I couldn't even begin to judge what they were saying, I just sat their thinking how I had been frustrated with them a couple days before because I thought they were acting like a five year old. And in that moment my heart broke for them and I realized how much I had acted like a five year old. I'm not saying that they weren't acting like a five year old or that their history justifies their every action but what I am saying is that night it became so clear to me that I should offer more grace to people and just love them where they are. I went away that night thinking about them and thinking regardless of your struggles I love you and regardless of what happens I will keep loving you.

Since then it has become a thought I cling to in every situation. I'm not saying that people aren't going to hurt me and that I'm never going to be mad at someone or that they won't make a completely stupid decision (I'm sure I will). I am saying that I just feel we would all be better off if we could look at someone and say regardless of my faults, regardless of your mistakes, regardless of your words, regardless of our falling out, regardless of your sin, my sin I will love you.

It's already not been a walk in the park for me and honestly there have been days when I've even thought man forget it I'm done and even thought it about the person who I learned the lesson from. Their have been days when I thought about dropping them and running because in the past I rocked at that, but it's those moments when I realize that my love regardless covers those moments too and some how I decide to keep fighting and loving. So that has become my prayer that I would love regardless every moment and that we all would love a little bit more.