Is love meant to hurt?

Now I'm aware that a lot of us have experienced heartbreak because of someone. It may not be because of a romantic relationship, but even just a parent, grand parent, friend etc. The people that we love the most have the ability to hurt us the most. It's the people that we treasure that cause the deepest hurts and the most painful tears. Does this mean we shouldn't love? Does this mean that love is meant to hurt? Because we give love and we still get hurt.

I've cried several times because of love, but I've also laughed and smiled several times because of love. I've loved and I've lost, the funny thing is sometimes the tears hit you when you least expect it, or the loss hits you when you least expect it. You could be having the most normal day and then suddenly you remember and the pain exposes itself. Sometimes I'm shocked by the intense emotion of sadness. Sometimes, I've lost the ability to sleep or even eat because of love and the pain that results from it sometimes.

Love is a sacrifice, but it's also a gift. The joy and laughter you gain from it can be intoxicating and so beautiful. There's just something about seeing a loved one laugh or smile, there's something about seeing someone you love be happy and silly. Sometimes when I see my parents laugh and play together I can't help but smile and just be happy. That's the nature of love though, when they hurt, you hurt, and when they smile, you smile.

Love wishes the best and sorrows when the loved one sorrows. Look at Jesus, He loved us and because of His love for us, He died. I promise you that if not for the love of God, Jesus didn't have to come to this earth, experience so much pain and then die. But one thing I'm sure of is that Jesus never regretted it. Love conquers all.

Yes, sometimes love can hurt, but in its entirety, love is astonishing. Love has its joys and victories, it has its ups and its peace. Love can hurt sometimes and that's because we haven't perfected love. It's also because we're in this imperfect world.

Love for God and God's love for us will never hurt us. There's perfect peace and joy in the love that God has for us. Human beings may leave and they may hurt us, but God never will. The reality of things is that we will all die someday, we will all leave at some point and that in itself causes pain to those who love us.

I still cry sometimes when I think of my grandma or when I think of my friend Emmanuel who died too soon. It's the nature of love on earth. The memories are bitter sweet, we enjoy our time with them and then they leave and the pain from the loss sticks with us in some form. It gets bearable, but it's still there.

But the one thing I'll never do is regret having loved. "It's better to have loved and lost than to have never loved before" - Alfred, Lord Tennyson. This quote rings so true, I appreciate everyone opportunity that I've had to love someone. So even though I've lost some people the moments we shared and the memories I have forever stay with me.

It's just really important to know that the one love that will never leave you or disappoint you is God's love. He never leaves and He never dies. God doesn't disappoint and he doesn't betray. His love is so beautiful that it moves me to tears sometimes. If anything, we're the ones who hurt God. Why? Because we're fickle and we live in this imperfect world. We don't always mean to, but we do nonetheless, the very reason that some of us run away from love, is the same thing that we do to God. Yet, God choses to love us daily. How amazing is that guys?

My post today is short, but I just wanted to say that you gain more from loving than by running away from it. I know that I hide from love sometimes (the romantic type) because I don't want to get hurt. Maybe it's high time I stopped hiding and actually embrace other forms of love.

Once again guys, I love you and God loves you.

Esther xoxo