“How do I love again?”

You’ve been mistreated, cheated on, there’s no love, the faithfulness has gone, and you ask yourself, “How do I love again?”

That was Hosea’s predicament (see Hosea 1-3). His wife Gomer, the poster child of adultery, had abandoned him and their three children, but instead of divorcing her, suing for full custody, turning away, never looking back, and not even sparing a cursory sideways glance in her direction, Hosea, not only forgives his wife but spends money to buy her freedom. You see, concerning that, sometimes we – husbands and wives – deceive ourselves, thinking we’d be better off elsewhere and we end up in situations that we can’t easily get out of, and find ourselves worse off than we ever were before. That’s what happened to Gomer and rather than return home, sold herself into slavery. So, to get her back, Hosea had to buy her freedom.

But why didn’t Hosea just forget her, leave her in her self-created mire and move on? There could only be one answer, God. God is the only one who could cause you to love again. Whether it’s that same person who has been caught up in a cycle of unfaithfulness or someone totally new, you still have to learn to love again. To love again is an emotional healing process that takes time because those wounds are so deep and so infected. To love again requires that those infected wounds be opened up and the poison removed, and God alone knows how to do this type of surgical procedure properly and thoroughly (see Hosea 6:1). 

Now, turning to look into a mirror, ask yourself honestly: “How many times have I been unfaithful, to others and to God?” 

Emotional hurt is not exclusive to married couples. Every single day people hurt and are being hurt, emotionally as well as physically. Sometimes it is done deliberately, and at other times it is by accident or through ignorance – by words and by actions. But, however caused, that pain tears you apart, creates animosity, makes enemies, and destroys relationships. 

As you read the book of Hosea, recognize God’s unconditional love for you, His mercy and faithfulness towards you, and His utter forgiveness, coursing through the pages of this incredible story of true love, God’s love. And know that God will never let you down, He never turns away from you no matter how often you turn away from Him. He is always ready and waiting to give you a fresh start, a new beginning. Return to God, allow Him to heal you, remove the infection, bind up your wounds, and repair your broken heart, so that you can love again. 

Amen†

“How do I love again?”    Shelley Johnson 14-Nov-2016