Love...unconditionally

If you love something, let it go. If it comes back to you, its yours forever. If it doesn’t, then it was never meant to be. - Unknown

The quote above is something that my Dad used to tell when I was growing up.  I didn't always understand it.  To me, it didn't make sense to still love something yet to let it go.  But, isn't that what God sometimes has to do to us?  We get stuck in a mind set that we need to go our own way and do things our way instead...yet He still loves us with an unconditional love.  That right there is the key...an UNCONDITIONAL love.  Too many times we want to put terms and limits on our love for others.  We love only when things are favorable.  But, if things get difficult or the love seems to be unrequited we want to turn our backs on it all.  But, if we can learn to love unconditionally...things can turn out so differently.  Sometimes is certain situations, we need to love yet let go of the thing we love.  We need to let go and give it to God.  Trust HIM to take care of things according to HIS will.  If it comes back then its your forever.  If it doesn't then it was never meant to be and God has something better for you.  

1 Corinthians 13 (NIRV)

1 Suppose I speak in the languages of human beings and of angels. If I don't have love, I am only a loud gong or a noisy cymbal.

2 Suppose I have the gift of prophecy. Suppose I can understand all the secret things of God and know everything about him. And suppose I have enough faith to move mountains. If I don't have love, I am nothing at all.

3 Suppose I give everything I have to poor people. And suppose I give my body to be burned. If I don't have love, I get nothing at all.

4 Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not want what belongs to others. It does not brag. It is not proud.

5 It is not rude. It does not look out for its own interests. It does not easily become angry. It does not keep track of other people's wrongs.

6 Love is not happy with evil. But it is full of joy when the truth is spoken.

7 It always protects. It always trusts. It always hopes. It never gives up.

8 Love never fails. But prophecy will pass away. Speaking in languages that had not been known before will end. And knowledge will pass away.

9 What we know now is not complete. What we prophesy now is not perfect.

10 But when what is perfect comes, the things that are not perfect will pass away.

11 When I was a child, I talked like a child. I thought like a child. I had the understanding of a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.

12 Now we see only a dim likeness of things. It is as if we were seeing them in a mirror. But someday we will see clearly. We will see face to face. What I know now is not complete. But someday I will know completely, just as God knows me completely.

13 The three most important things to have are faith, hope and love. But the greatest of them is love. 

This chapter talks about everything that love is and isn't.  It talks about the importance of love.  But, what it all boils down to is that our love must be unconditional.  If we ever find ourselves with a "fault finding" spirit, we need to take care of it immediately.  Because that kind of spirit sets out to destroy every speck of love in our hearts...including our love for God.  We must learn to have unconditional love.  If you find yourself in a situation that you love something and yet it hurts to love for one reason or another.  Give it to God.  Talk to Him.  Tell Him all about your feelings and concerns.  If it is something that God has planned for you...it WILL all work out.  The most important thing in life is to live in the will of God.  Because it is is in that place that we will find true happiness and joy to last a lifetime.