My good friend, Nic, forwarded this to me and it’s such a great word that I felt the need to share it. It’s such a timely message for my heart to hear right now.
“Human relationships easily become possessive. Our hearts so much desire to be loved that we are inclined to cling to the person who offers us love, affection, friendship, care, or support. Once we have seen or felt a hint of love, we want more of it. That explains why lovers so often bicker with each other. Lovers’ quarrels are quarrels between people who want more of each other than they are able or willing to give.
It is very hard for love not to become possessive because our hearts look for perfect love and no human being is capable of that. Only God can offer perfect love. Therefore, the art of loving includes the art of giving one another space. When we invade one another’s space and do not allow the other to be his or her own free person, we cause great suffering in our relationships. But when we give another space to move and share our gifts, true intimacy becomes possible.”
I have a hard time finding the balance, but truly want to give those I love and cherish the space to be who they are, use their God-given gifts to serve others and to grow in their faith. All I can say is, “God, help me.”
