Reflection

My outlook on relationships has been rather negative for a while. Specifically, that they're overrated. To an extent, I believed the same to be true about marriage. I had always hoped for my 'relationship' to be a reflection of Christ's love for the church.
This was my idea of what the reflection should look like: perfection. I'd never get my feelings hurt, or be disappointed, disrespected, underappreciated...Jesus's love doesn't produce those feelings.

So, when that 'relationship' failed miserably, and produced every one of the afforementioned feelings/emotions, I lost much of that hope. A recent conversation with a great friend (married friend) gave me the slap I deserved for being so selfish and closed-minded...so dumb! I'll paraphrase:

Marriage is so hard. It's unbelievably hard. But the blessings of marriage, the blessing OF marriage, is unbelievably amazing. You share a life with this human being that you love more than you yourself can even understand. They know everything about you; the deep, dark, hidden things, the nasty attitudes, the selfish desires, the gross habits...they see you at your absolute worst. They see you in a way no one else does, yet they love you more than they themselves can even understand, in spite of who you are.

Hmm...I do believe that this is the most accurate reflection of Christ's love for the church that could possibly exist. He loved us in spite of who we are, and gave everything to call us His own.