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UNITY WAY

September 21, 2003

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Love and Its Challenges

By Andrei Yashurin

Not so long ago I read a certain spiritual author who mentioned 
that he enjoys to write about love more than about anything 
else. I thought that, perhaps, I cannot share his feelings. 
Personally, I hesitate to write or speak about love, finding 
it quite a difficult task. 

There were times when I wondered if there is a good synonym 
for the word "love", but I could not find it. You cannot 
avoid mentioning love especially when you give references 
to the Bible. It holds the supreme place in the spiritual 
system of Jesus, and even in the Old Testament. 

The first reason why it is not easy to talk about love is 
the large number of wrong ideas concerning it in people's 
minds. It means that those who write or speak on this subject 
are often misunderstood by readers and listeners. 

Are we willing to face a challenge of misunderstanding?

The second reason is that our own comprehension of love is 
not complete. Its nature is mysterious, just like God's nature. 
Love exceeds even the best description. If we are trying to put 
love in a box, we find that it doesn't fit even in the largest box. 

Are we willing to face a challenge of mystery?

Then, we need to be honest and to admit that our practice 
of love is imperfect. Even those who are esteemed as saints 
may find themselves not being able to live up to their own 
ideals. Trying to teach love could bring to our memory our 
own sad and painful shortcomings, making us feel almost like 
Pharisees. 

Are we willing to face a challenge of imperfection?

And yet, I believe that it won't be in vain to study love and 
to talk about love. Even if our understanding can be likened 
to a grain of mustard seed, we should not despise it, or throw 
it away. There are no reasons to feel disappointment. "For we 
know in part, and we prophesy (or express our knowledge) in 
part" (1 Corinthians 13:9), wrote Paul. Our current state 
of realization and manifestation is not something to be ashamed 
of - if we are heading in the right direction.  
 
Another reason not to give up on love I find in the fact 
that we are not alone. The Love of God is searching for ways 
to reveal itself to us, and to be demonstrated through us. 

"The Father who dwells in Me, He does the works" (John 14:10), 
said Jesus. The Master lived with the full awareness of 
God's indwelling Presence, and attributed all His achievements 
to it. The Father abides in us just as in Him - and this makes 
possible our growth in love.    

It is not we alone that grope in mental darkness. 
It is the Divinity within us that strives to bring us 
to the point of understanding of what love is. 

It is not we alone that stumble and fall in our actions. 
It is the Divinity within us that leads us to perfect and 
harmonious expressions of love.

"The Father who dwells in Me, He does the works". You can use 
this affirmation when you face any challenge, including 
the challenge of love. 

We all are in the process of growth. Realizing this, we 
may declare:
 
"I am a seed, waiting to become a beautiful and fruitful tree".

"I am a miracle, waiting to be born".

"All that God has for me, is being fulfilled, even here and now".

"I reach upward and forward for love".

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http://unityway.net/zine 

Talks on Truth

Andrei Yashurin: admin@unityway.net

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All messages (c) 2003 by Andrei Yashurin
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