Inconvenient Love

The other morning I woke up with chores and “have toos ” on my mind. I was in the middle of plotting my day and attempting to come up with the least painful way to keep promises and fulfill my responsibilities. Maybe I could shortcut this or that or delay a project that will provide me some wiggle room in my day. I was hoping to save time and energy in any way that would benefit me and still demonstrate love.

I then realized that my thinking was no different than that of the rest of the world. Our culture craves and demands the convenient. After all, we have “fast” food, (Burger King anyone?) and convenient stores on most corners. You may have to pay a pretty penny for that gallon of milk at the 711 or White Hen Pantry, but, for most of us, paying the extra buck is well worth saving 20 minutes we would have to spend running into the local grocery store. We can add to our available conveniences the 15 items or less checkouts, speed dating, microwave ovens and now we can buy premade Jell-O cups. We become upset when the remote for the television won’t work-imaging getting off the couch and walking all the way over to the TV to adjust the sound? I could bore you with a plethora of examples, no worries, I won’t. This list would have been truly unimaginable even 15 years ago. All designed with convenience in mind.

So, what does convenience or inconvenience have to do with the fruit of the spirit, love? Isn’t love what comes easy if your a follower of Christ? Shouldn’t it be like breathing? Why would we ever be concerned if loving someone is a little inconvenient? Oh, boy how I wish that were true.

However, when I am on the receiving end of love, that is quite different, it is convenient, and I must confess at times I think, it is well deserved. After all, aren’t we commanded to “love one another”? We are given holy direction to “bear one another’s burdens”. No brainer, right? But think about it, if love was such a natural instinct and flowed freely with no sinful, selfish nature blocking it up, our Savior would not have had to “command” us to love any more than he would need to command us to breathe. Why would there be numerous verses in the Bible that directs us to love, sacrifice and serve one another? (One of my favorites is Philippians 2:1-11).

The reality is, that without the mighty power of God in our lives, and our own conscious decision to let go of the convenient and embrace inconvenience and self-sacrifice, we would not be the reflection of Christ’s perfect love. We would remain a cloudy replication of the love Christ demonstrated. We would remain a “sounding brass or a clanging cymbal” as described in 1 Corinthians 13.

I will be totally transparent with a struggle I recently experienced. There is a young special needs woman who serves with me at our local shelter. She and her family are moving away and she is not happy about this move at all. Not happy, no, she is miserable. She is so miserable that she refused to even talk about this move with me as she has many friends in her neighborhood. Her parents are moving because they found an organization that would provide her care for the rest of her life. So, when they depart from this earth, their daughter will be in safe hands. This school/work facility has extensive possibilities for her that they were unable to find in this area. The move is out of love for her.

It was not my regular volunteer day, however, last week I told her I would come and say goodbye. When I woke up I realized that I have no desire to make that trip to the shelter. I wanted to stay at home and rest before my work week took off. I began to rationalize that she wouldn’t even remember or care if I came. I told myself that I am sure there will be plenty of other people wishing her well. I told myself that my “rest”, my convenience is more important than saying goodbye to this sweet girl. I am really good at rationalizing, aren’t I?

But God….
reminded me of who I belong to, who I represent. He wanted to remind me of the many times my needs were met by others at quite the inconvenience for them. I was humbled. I was disappointed in myself because I was prepared to break my word to this young woman and miss a precious opportunity to demonstrate the love of our Savior. That I was willing to forgo this chance that would never again be offered for the sake of my convenience. Ouch 😳!!!!.

The end of this story…..

only by God’s provision, grace and sovereignty was I able to keep my promise. The best part (this is a common thread in my walk with Christ) was that I loved it, every part of it.
Here is what he did for this sinner in need of continual grace:

1. I realized I desperately needed to be in God’s house for worship and teaching that day, I was spiritually dryer than a rice cake so I would have driven to the church where our shelter is for that evening’s service anyway, No “extra” trip. I was filled up spiritually!
2. I invited a friend to have lunch and shop for special gifts for this sweet girl and we had a blast, a very special unexpected time together!
3. This woman and her parents beamed when I gave her the gifts. Seeing her face was so precious and once again humbling. She giggled with excitement as she discovered what was hidden beneath the wrapping paper.
4. A couple of dear friends were able to join my husband and me for dinner at church. We haven’t shared a meal and worshiped together for weeks, what a blessing!!

These inconveniences don’t always produce a “happy ending”, but they do always produce good fruit!
I am curious what inconveniences our Lord may be asking of you? A handwritten note of encouragement, a ride to the airport? Maybe holding your tongue when a word is said or an opinion is shared that may have hit your “hot” button. My prayer for you is that you tap into that incomparable power of God and experience the blessings of inconvenience.

Shalom,
Karen