We are all familiar with the phrase ‘ love hurts’, but what if one said that God’s love hurts?! Is this true? If so then how can it be love?!!
Does God’s love hurt? Take a brief moment to answer this for yourself first…..
Yes! God’s love does hurt, not because in its pure essence it is hurtful but rather the fact that when the divine hits the human something has to give way and it’s not God!
John of the cross spoke of God’s wounding love, that love that pierces the soul and leaves the soul thirsting and pining for more, that infinite love that wounds broken humanity in order to transform it, that firey love that burns through human pride, that requires a death to the desires of the world in order to open to the divine……yes, it hurts!
In fact God’s love hurts so much that Jesus himself speaks of our christian journey as one of sacrifice and taking up one’s cross, of dying to self!
However just like any goal that is really worth it, the reward is far greater than the sacrifice and there is immense internal joy in following the narrow road to heaven even in the middle of the sufferings and hurts! The hurts are never the goal but rather the obstacles on the road to the goal!
It is also consoling to know that while our journey to heaven here on earth may have many pains and sufferings that our reward is eternal life in heaven where there will be no suffering at all !
So yes, love hurts but hurts can lead to even greater love and ultimately to love Himself, God!