I know many of you who may be following my blogs already know that I have been fascinated with a couple of shows on the new OWN network, which if you don’t know by now is the latest venture set forth by the worlds beloved Oprah. I have been following the LifeClass which is something that she has been offering viewers in order to help them become and live the truest and greatest expression of themselves possible. I have watched most of the sessions primarily because a few people who I regard as not only successful individuals but simply great thinkers; Ms. Iyanla Vanzant, Mr. Tony Robbins and Bishop T.D. Jakes.
This last class I thought was pretty unique because unlike the classes before it featured all of the LifeClass facilitators that were on the show that season. They were all on the same panel at the same time joining together in a mission to better mankind with the gifts they have, what a site to see.
This particular class just like the one’s before featured also individuals just like you and I who had suffered great challenges or difficulties in their life and wanted a way out. One woman was stilling dealing with the pain of losing her husband of 8 years. Who she proudly proclaimed had loved her and romanced her like no other man has ever in her life time. Now I’m not sure of the age of this woman but just looking at her I would say she was in her 40’s and being that she was only married to this man 8 years before he died of a terminal illness. I am left to believe that she married this man late in life at least to the average person’s standards; which also leads me to believe that she has probably had a few intimate relationships in her adult life which would be the reason why she could make such a statement as the one she did concerning her late husband.
One of the things I want to point out her is that she married this man while his cancer was in remission and the two of them were determined that they would beat this thing because with the love they had for one another and the help of God they were unstoppable. Well after the wedding and the wonderful honeymoon and years of bliss the cancer returns. And just as she promised she was determined to help him beat it. She makes it clear in the LifeClass session that she did everything she was suppose to do. She loved him and cared for him, she prayed, she stood in faith believing the word of God concerning her husband’s healing. Yet he still died and it left her angry with God.
As you read this I am sure you can understand this woman’s pain, frustration and even her anger. As the panel of experts began to chime in or her story and share their wisdom Iyanla Vanzant began to help the woman to see that the things that she should be grateful for in the situation and after challenging her to think about something she could be grateful for she says I am grateful for the fact that I was able to give him the best of myself in service, love and affection before he died. Then Iyanla Vanzant chimes in and says could it be that your husband showed you the depth of love you have to give? Could it be that your husband showed you a gift that you thought you never had? A gift to care for the sick and shut-in, the lady agrees and then seconds later the great Bishop T.D. Jakes offers his wisdom and he says to her that God loves us through people. And to me that was profound. He was trying to get her to see that not only did she experience the God love that her husband was able to offer her, which led her to make such statements as she made about him loving her better than any man she was ever with. But the love that she should him even until death was also the love of God at work. And if she could understand that her anger towards God would probably diminish because she would recognize that even though the end result wasn’t what she hoped for it was still Gods love and His will at work. The statement he made to her about God loving us through people was something that I knew but I think the story and the emotion of the moment helped me to really hear that and take it in. I tell you it illuminated in my spirit; God loves us through people. Yes I get it now.
I immediately thought about the many times I cut people out of my life. The many times I refused the affection and kindness of people. The many times I thought to do something nice for someone but talked myself out of it. The many times I did something for someone that was nice but wasn’t done in the excellence and grace that it should have been done in. Lord forgive me, I realize now that I was cutting off, refusing, talking myself out of and mishandling the awesome love that you give. I know many of us have been in similar situations. Just think of it this way the love of God is not merited, there is nothing that we have done to receive it and the same is true with the love of our family friends and neighbors or even a total stranger.
Love has no color and true love comes with no strings and stipulations. Love is merely the tangible evidence that God has given us in order to maintain His essence His expression His existence on earth. Love isn’t love until you give it away. Will you give love today? Blessings to you always!