Unconditional Love

God is teaching me A LOT about unconditional love these days.  When you have a child that is choosing to not act as your child, you learn a lot about loving someone who isn't loving you back.  Note, I didn't say "adopted child", because as I have found out from some friends, there are biological kids who act this way as well.

One thing I have discovered is that expectations play a lot in my "satisfaction" with this relationship.  When I expect this child to reciprocate love, I quickly feel unfulfilled.  However, this isn't true unconditional love. Unconditional love expects N-O-T-H-I-N-G in return - and that's hard.

It's hard to pour your life, your love and your soul into someone and get nothing in return.

One of the books I am reading about these issues compares the parent/child interaction to the spousal relationship.  While this comparison isn't valid across the board, in the particular way he makes it, it is valid.  One thing I have realized by thinking about the parent/child relationship in this manner is this:  I cannot MAKE my child love me - it is HIS choice.  And he may NEVER choose to love me.  That is a hard realization.  But, if I don't accept this reality, my relationship with him may always be rocky.

A friend posted a link to this series on her FB page and I started listening it to it today.  It is CHALLENGING to watch this, as it reveals God's high standard for us.  I realize how short I fall of His standard and know that I need to work on this with his help.

Here is the link to the entire series:http://www.gethope.net/love-different