Love and healing

What if the wounds inflicted by suffering didn't have a chance to fester and breed bitterness and hatred? What if kindness, mercy and charity got there first and cleansed, soothed and bandaged the wounds? Love would have a chance to heal the wounds, and the wounded would be pointed to Love Himself.

I know I'm not saying anything new here. Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed by human suffering and its all-too-common, lingering effects - bitterness and hatred. When the pain I see all around me becomes oppressive, the above turns into a sort of prayer/personal battle cry.

I also like a quote from a post on Conversion Diary: Fear is the absence of love. I summon this quote most often in situations where I have no idea what to do or how to help. Looking deeper, I have to admit that this "not knowing" is a result of trying desperately to avoid awkwardness and failure. The quote reminds me that the more I love, the less worried I am about my abilities or image - love takes over and I act. As I become more other-focused, I become less self-focused. Since most fears are rooted in self doubt, they turn into faint background noise when we focus on other people.

Returning to the quote - if I turn the l in love into a capitol L, I'm reminded of something else. God is Love. When I give up or refuse to take action because of fear, I'm denying myself a chance to be used by Love Himself to love those who are hurting. I'm making it about me instead of about Him. I'm worried about what I think I can't do instead of glorying in all that He is doing.

A personal note related to love and healing - a deep, heart-felt thank you to everyone who prayed for me in the days leading up to my surgery. My operation went extremely well, I got to go home from the hospital a day early, and aside from a brief tussle with an infection, my recovery is going great. Your love and prayers are a sign that constantly points me to God, and I am inexpressibly grateful.