Becoming Better Receivers

Many times we hear how important it is to give...how important it is to love.  I had this new idea proposed to me this weekend that it is perhaps even more important to become better receivers.  Whaaaat? I know, sounds kind of crazy.  But lets think about it.

Have you ever had a time in your life where you just felt entirely blessed and completely and truly loved?  How did that make you feel?  Maybe you cried, maybe you couldn't stop smiling.  My guess is that it made you feel unstoppable, like nothing could touch you.  Well here's the thing.  Imagine if you felt that way every day.  Sure, struggles inevitably come along but you receive them trusting that Christ has a purpose, has a plan.   

Think about all the blessings and love we receive from God...if we really truly see that, imagine how our lives would be transformed.  Love is powerful, right?  It's probably the most powerful thing out there I would think. So if we were so completely full of love and everything that comes along with it (cared for, blessed, special, etc.), imagine how happy and how powerful that would be!  Imagine all the good we could do!  Our outlook and attitudes on life would be infinitely better.  I propose that we need to become better receivers.  Once we recognized how loved we are, we are moved to love others in the same kind of way.  We will be unstoppable.

So how do we become better receivers?  How do we recognize how loved we truly are?  First and foremost, we must pray.  Because prayer has a way of helping us see things better.  We must receive compliments better...the people who compliment you really meant what they said and wanted you to hear it.  So if you are told how wonderful you are, don't just brush it off but praise God!  Because you are beautiful and wonderful and loved.  But we must become better receivers of our sufferings too.  I have a hard time believing that we suffer for no reason.  Sometimes we need the suffering to experience how blessed we are and how strong we are.

Love is powerful.  I pray that God reveals to us each day how loved and blessed we are.

Until next time,
Mel