Halftime. The short period of rest between two parts of a game, such as a football match.
(Compared to fulltime, which is the end of the fixed period of time during which a match is played.)
At halftime, players take a breather to return to the drawing block, and review their game plan in the first half of the match.
Conduct critical assessments of what has transpired, highlighting issues that need to be addressed, changing approaches and attitudes.
For the insightful, even creating shots and re-inventing the game to deliver results for fruitfulness in the second half.
As a caterpillar weaves a cocoon into which it withdraws for a period of time before it is ready to emerge as a fully developed butterfly, so does a person enter into the cocoon of halftime during the journey of life to take stock of the first half - conduct a critical assessment, address attitudes and mindsets that need to be changed, and re-invent the approach to life - for joy and fruitfulness in the second half.
Living is hard. Some of us are burnt out or broken by halftime. Some of us are lost. Some are searching. Some are too tired to carry on. Some just want out. A heart can be broken but it goes on beating just the same. Sure, life goes on despite shattered dreams, broken hearts, wrecked marriages, ill-formed identities, non-aligned values, estranged and failed relationships. Conventional wisdom tells us to get over it, learn to put it behind us, MOVE ON!
Sounds practical enough. Just sweep everything under the carpet. Lest we forget, even the largest carpet in the world has a limited surface area!
Besides, is that the way God wants us to deal with life's brokenness? Is that how the God who has created us in His image and who promises us the abundant life in His Son Jesus Christ desires for us to live? Think for a moment. Will love allow the beloved to live in wretchedness? Will love not take risk to care?
Love initiates. Love takes the first step. Love reaches out. Love puts the beloved before self.
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own,
is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NKJV. Yes, it is more than a mouthful. At least we know where to turn to when we need a fresh reminder of what love is.
The heart of the matter remains a matter of the heart. Our inability to see that effectively eliminates the chance to treat the wound correctly that it may heal.
On the contrary, if we can recognise what would cause a heart to ache, than we would be able to appreciate what the heart values above all else.
Jesus said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:21 NKJV.
Is your heart broken, wounded or dead? Have you lost what or whom you once treasured?
Until God brings about a full restoration according to His time and purpose, let His love be enough for you.
About to walk away from the marriage? How about turning to the One who loves you as His bride? Let His love fill the hole where your spouse has left empty.
But thereafter keep in mind, "We, though, are going to love - love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first." 1 John 4:19 The Message.
God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we're free of worry on Judgment Day - our standing in the world is identical with Christ's. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life - fear of death, fear of judgment is one not yet fully formed in love. 1 John 4:17-18 The Message.
"This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us." Let's chew on this until the truth tastes like honey in our mouth.
In other words, love takes control, settles down in our heart and grow in us. It will take time for love to mature in us. Doesn't happen overnight.
Just as a caterpillar needs time to transform into a butterfly, so will love take time to mature in us until we are transformed into His likeness.
Shalom,
Sv ",+
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