I know that when "my heart" comes into the picture, this goes haywire and quickly. The latest lesson i've learned is that when I do God's Will, I am happy (even tho nothing outside of myself has changed). But when my heart becomes the focus, everything blows up in my face. And for some strange reason, I find myself struggling with my heart (probably because i've been sick, laid up in bed, not really reaching out to people or praying nearly as much as I have in the past weeks.

And I am finding that truly loving someone means letting go.

Love is the theme of the Bible. And one of the most loving things that God has given us is the gift of choice - free will. Free will boils down to this: you can choose to connect or not.

And since that has been given down to us, the right to choose for ourselves, it should also mean that if you love someone, you must give them that same privilege. I'm sure that we're all familiar with, "the more we try to control\force\manipulate love, the sooner it will backfire". If you say that you love someone because of what they can give you, that's not love - that's selfishness. When you love someone, it's always a place from overflow rather than from lack.

But respecting someone's choice to love can be both devastating and rewarding. When you leave it to them to decide, they may choose options that may not match up with your desires. I am finding that my heart is here at the moment. But the one thing that I have seen is, when this happens, it opens the doors and brings us closer to God. But at the same time, when you truly let go, there is the possibility that they will choose you. And you can't ask for a stronger foundation for a relationship.

No one feels loved when they are controlled or manipulated. No one feels love when they can sense that someone is trying to "take" instead of "give".

But the same can be said for the other side - You deserve to be with someone who loves you right where you are. You deserve someone who is so connected to love, that they have the confidence to let you choose for yourself. You deserve to be in relationships where people are sharing from overflow, and not from lack.

One of the most important things you need to remember is, you are always provided for. God's love for you is the Perfect example, always there and will never go away.

What greater sacrifice can we make to God when we let go of all choices, especially when it comes to our heart's desires? We know how our story ends: We end up happier than we could imagine (as long as we remain in Him). So use that to strengthen your faith.