LOVE THAT DOES NOT FEEL GOOD

I'm the same as everyone else - I like love that encourages, that tells me I'm a good guy, that makes me feel good about myself, that comforts me. But a steady dose of pitying kind of love keeps us locked into misconceptions about ourselves. We just have to adjust our thinking to realize that if we want to grow as people, as Christians, corrective love is necesary. For example, the discipline of children when they do wrong things, molds their character so they become people of integrity. We do them a favour when we correct them. Because we live with imperfections ourselves, we too need correcting from time to time. Proverbs 9:8 says, "rebuke a wise man and he will love you." Our challenge is to discern loving correction from intentional hurt. Then, maybe, someday we'll get to the point where we actually thank those who love us in a way that does not feel good.