Sheri Yutzy - Speculative Fiction Author

  • About
  • Stories
  • Contact
  • Magic Forest Proofreading
You are here: Home / All Posts / Is Love Supposed to Hurt This Much?

Is Love Supposed to Hurt This Much?

December 4, 2017 by Sheri

As Advent begins, I am pondering love. We all want it, and we all think we give it, to our friends and family, and sometimes even strangers. But what happens when those we love the most reject our love? They might not say, “I don’t love you,” but sometimes their actions and words convey that message.

How do we cope with the failures of those in position to encourage and lift us up? Fathers, mothers, siblings, pastors, best friends. It seems to hurt the most when special people let us down. A kind word, holding in criticism, an offer of help…they could do so much if they’d just do their job.

Mercifully, love is not transactional. If it were, we wouldn’t be receiving much at all. God, who is love, has shown us by the gift of Christ that love is to be lavished on the undeserving. Loving is not a job, it’s simply opening our hearts. Even when it hurts. Because next time it could be us failing to love our best friend the way we should. It could be us harshly criticizing a sister for something minor. It could be us manipulating our children to perform the way we want them to perform.

A segment of the Mixtec people in Mexico speak the Yoloxochitl dialect. They have no Bible in their language, but All Nations Bible Translation, supported by Christian Aid Ministries, is working to provide one. Missionaries studying the language have discovered beautiful simplicities in the Yoloxochitl dialect. Love is translated “hurting heart.” John 3:16 literally means, “God’s heart hurt, seeing the people of this world…”

We aren’t the first to hurt for those we love. God set the standard by His willingness to hurt for us so much, He sent His only Son to bring us life. And what did Jesus teach us by His life? Forgive those who hurt us. When someone strikes us, we don’t strike back. When someone is in need, we give.

Ann Voskamp writes in The Broken Way, “Love isn’t about feeling good about others; love is ultimately being willing to suffer for others…The only way to avoid brokenness is to avoid love.”

We love most when we forgive someone who has broken our heart. When we know we love them more than ourselves, and our hurt feelings.

Yes, love has to hurt this much. It’s the only way to let love in. Our broken hearts will break us free and open us to more of God’s love.

How do you cope with hurt from those you love?

Filed Under: All Posts

Want free stories, discounts, and other forest magic?Join my newsletter!

I like sending free stories to my friends.
Join the list and get a free ebook copy of Stories of the Stars, my speculative short story collection!

About Sheri

Here Goes Something New!

Hi, I'm Sheri Yutzy. I love forests under the night sky, trying new foods, and drinking Irish tea.
I'm married to a musician who looks good in black, mama to two toddlers who love to eat, and happy resident of a Cape Cod cottage in Ohio.
I write YA fantasy and am acquisitions editor at sparkflashfiction.com.
Join my email list for free fiction!

Follow Along

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Find some magic with me!

sheriyutzyauthor

One thing I love about Ohio yards: no matter where One thing I love about Ohio yards: no matter where I go, I can always find a little patch of whimsical greenery somewhere that whispers spring is here. My yard right now is strewn with little branches and dried plants from the flowerbeds and old, brown leaves. But soon the grass will grow tall and we’ll gather the branches and everything will be lush and green again.
Fairy tales always seem like a spring thing. The curses end in spring, the eggs hatch in spring, the weddings happen in spring. But I love to see the magic woven into each season, each so different, preparing the earth for the next phase.

What whimsically green corners have you found this week?

#whimsicalwednesday #sheriyutzy #whimsicalgreen #whimsicalcottage #whimsicalspring #whimsicalgarden #yafantasyauthor #hanschristianandersen #bestlovedfairytales #fairytales #springfairytale #magicalspring #magicalcottage #booksoutside #slowliving #changingseasons #marchgreens
🌿✨🌿 Enough words in the world Enough bulbs 🌿✨🌿
Enough words in the world
Enough bulbs budding 
And stretching their hearty arms
Like solid poems, fragrant poems
The world outside is living poetry.
🌿✨🌿

#twentywordtuesday #poetsofinstagram #springpoetry #ednastvincentmillay #springinthegarden #poetryoutside #moodycottage #sheriyutzy #shortpoems
Mondays do odd things for me as an introvert. (By Mondays do odd things for me as an introvert. (By introvert I mean I need solitude to recharge.) 
🌿🌿🌿
Here’s what I mean. By the end of every week I’m ready to see my people, engage in my church community. And by the end of Sunday? I’m ready to be alone again. My kids usually are too, so they spend Monday playing pretend together and I lurk around catching up on housework, reading a book, and gazing out the window, enjoying my own inner silence. (It’s not super silent outside of me, but that’s okay.)
Monday is just lovely, because I’m filled up and rich with community, and I have a whole day to be home and ponder that fullness.
Yes, sometimes I want to be with adults after hearing children chatter all day, but most of the time their conversation is refreshing.

How do you find Mondays? Do you like to get started on the week, or would you like to stay in the weekend?
The wisteria is budding, and will soon be spreadin The wisteria is budding, and will soon be spreading its sunshine across the yard. Our bush was here when we moved and I’ve been so grateful for it. It blooms so early, the brightest thing around.
This weekend was a bit crazy. I did some new things, like make meatballs for a crowd, and juggle three Airbnb guests’ requests at once, and change a car key battery while away from home (thank God for the extra battery in the glove box) but here I am at Sunday afternoon, my time to take a look at the week before, and everything worked out.
I know it doesn’t always, but for today, I am grateful.

What made you grateful this weekend?

#wisteria #buddingwisteria #sheriyutzy #gratefulsunday #kingdomofashandbriars #hannahwest #yafantasyauthor #booksoutside #slowliving #gratefulliving #moodycottage #cottagegarden #intentionalliving #gratefulthoughts #springtimeblooms #timeforspring
Load More... Follow on Instagram

My Book Progress

Spiraldown
Phase:Writing
31.8%
MyBookProgress by Author Media

Goodreads

Let’s keep in touch!

You'll be the first to know about new discounts, free stories just for subscribers, and beta reader openings. Feel free to sign up!

© 2023 Sheri Yutzy | Site by EY-PHOTO-WEB

 

Loading Comments...