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A Little Flower Grows

Catholic Lifestyle Blog

What I’ve Learned about Love and Surrender

February 17, 2017

God has been teaching me a lot about real surrender and real love lately. Over the last few weeks and months, I have learned so much about these two things  ~ in ways I could never have expected or predicted, in ways that have confused and frustrated me to no end, and in ways that have pushed and pulled and broken my heart.

In the midst of it all, I have been trying my hardest to cling to God and offer it all to him and seek his will. And he has been faithfully guiding me along, teaching me so many things. Slowly but surely, I am learning the real meaning of surrender and the real meaning of love.

Here’s what I’ve learned.

Surrender is not passive.

Surrender is action.

Surrender is giving.

Surrender is giving yourself.

Surrender is emptying yourself.

Surrender is forgetting yourself.

Love is action.

Love is giving.

Love is giving even when it hurts ~ until it hurts.

Love is sacrificing yourself and your will.

Love empties you of yourself.

Love is emptying yourself.

Love is forgetting yourself.

Surrender and love go hand in hand.

And though they both hurt, there is much joy and peace in both.

Here are two quotes I stumbled upon recently that perfectly sum up what I have been learning:

“Love to be real, it must cost – it must hurt – it must empty us of self.” (Mother Teresa)

“Love is more than a mere feeling. To love means to do good. In this way we can experience the happiness of giving, the grandeur of offering ourselves without measure, without expecting to be repaid.” (Pope Francis)

Surrender is giving. Love is giving. Let’s give of ourselves and empty ourselves ~ and then we’ll be truly resigned to God’s will, and we’ll truly love as God calls us to love, as He loves us. And then we will experience a deep, unshakable joy and peace that can only come from God and that will guide us through everything in our lives.

Sincerely,
~Stephanie
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Categories: God, Life, reflections, sacrifice, thoughts

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About Me

Hi, I'm Stephanie!

Lifelong Catholic and Michigander, aspiring theologian, teacher by profession, amateur baker, avid tea drinker, and wife to Marcus since December 8, 2018. Welcome to my little corner of the internet, where I share from my heart about faith, ministry, and life in general. I hope you'll pour a cup of tea and stay awhile!

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