We are COMMANDED to love!

We are COMMANDED to love! I keep coming back to love as I read through my Camino journal. In it I jotted down lessons learned along the way. Each day I was simply too exhausted to take the time to write in detail. So I recalled various events of my day and listed the lessons. It was my intention to “unpack” it all and share when I got back. Here I am, almost three months later, and I’m only up to item #2 out of 15 (and I’m sure that number will grow as I continue to process – I could never have imagined the impact of this journey).

Lessons learned thus far

2. Be content with yourself and your gifts. I sat on my porch one afternoon trying to remember the circumstances. I’m guessing it came from a difficult first week. Three days into my journey getting wicked blisters, being winded going up hills. I came into this with a less than humble mentality, knowing I had the chutzpah to finish what I started.

Having a competitive nature didn’t help my situation. My blisters were the result of me trying to keep up with others. I found myself comparing myself to others along the way. I watched as they passed me, having no difficulty at all, as I struggled to take my next breath. Humbling? For sure!

In the silence of the Camino, I was able to see and feel Christ’s immense love for me AS I AM! I was able to register the truth of my role as an integral part of the mystical body of Christ. I have a purpose, I am unique. I may not have the gifts and talents others have, but I have my own, which no one else has. I have to remember this, be content with my gifts and talents and love myself as Christ loves me!

While on the Camino, as I was beating myself up for not being as quick or as fit as some of the other pilgrims, I eventually realized that no matter how fast or fit we all ended up at the same place.

There was a lesson in everything we did and experienced on the Camino. The best part of it all was seeing how once surrender was embraced, once I stopped ragging on myself (God’s precious and good creation), strength, perseverance and peace followed – no, they WON!

I began to embrace my limitations. I loved myself as Christ loves me. It was ok when other pilgrims passed me. I was okay with being winded and having to stop on an incline – it’s how I honored my body. It didn’t matter to me that I was the last one in my group to reach a certain spot. I embraced the fact that regardless of when I finished, my beautifully created body and tired, strong feet carried me so far. I was enough, I was strong, I was loved!

get out of there

Once I got out of my head and into my heart, I actually got out of my own way. Several weeks in, I felt stronger, I was less winded, I was faster and yet I cared less about my speed and stamina then. What a great lesson! Love yourself, you are God’s creation. He loves you as you are! You are enough! You have something to offer this world that NO ONE else has. Once you begin to take that to heart, nothing and no one can phase you!

The Big Book of Christian Mysticism

Shortly after processing this second lesson, I came across this message in The Big Book of Christian Mysticism by Carl McColman:

God is love. God loves all of us and wants us to experience abundant life. This means abiding in love, love of God and love of neighbors as ourselves. Through prayer and worship, meditation and silence, we can commune with God, experience his presence, have our consciousness transformed by his Spirit, participate in his loving nature, and be healed and renewed in that love.

This new life (what the New Testament calls “the mind of Christ”) will not only bring us joy and happiness (even when we suffer) but also will empower us to be ambassadors for God, to bring God’s love and joy and happiness to others. there is much work to be done, and the task is overwhelming. Even our own need is very great, for we tend to resist God’s love, even as we hunger for it. Yet, God Continually calls us back to his love and continually empowers us to face the challenge of bringing hope to our broken world.

we are commanded to love

We are commanded to love our neighbors as ourselves. How can we possibly love our neighbors as God commands, if we don’t know how to love ourselves? I challenge you to take some time to evaluate how well you love yourself. If you view yourself as less than enough, then I would venture to say you don’t love yourself enough.

Start loving yourself. We are COMMANDED to love. Get out of your own way and all good things will follow. Trust me, I know! God bless you!