Are You Starving?

As I sat outside thinking about how amazing God is and just soaking in His love I noticed a cat sitting on this abandoned truck. I started to get up to walk towards it. My movement caused it to take notice of me. The closer I got to this cat the more apparent it became to me that I was not going to get to pet this cat. It was going to run in fear and that is exactly what it did. He jumped off the truck and sprinted as fast as he could into the cornfield. Little did I know that God was going to show me something through this scared cat.
As I stood on the outskirts of this cornfield meowing and trying to coax this cat from it's secure location in the corn I felt God say you were once this cat. I thought how exactly am I like this cat? But He was right I was just like this cat. You see he desperately wanted to be petted and loved. He was starving for some type of affection but there was such a great fear keeping him from receiving the love. You see I was standing at the edge of the cornfield calling to him so I could pet him and love on him. Yet each time he came near me the slightest movement would startle him back into the security of the corn. For about 15 minutes I waited patiently for this cat to become comfortable with me. I knelt down and just held my hand still allowing him to rub up on my hand. At the slightest touch back into the field he ran. Until finally he allowed me to pet him.
God was totally right I had been that cat. I was so starved for love and affection that I made attempts to let people into my safe area but it was a struggle. Many times I would try to allow people to love me because I so desperately wanted/needed that yet the fear of getting hurt kept me from fully opening myself to receive. I kept running back to the safety of the walls that I had built around me.
God was so faithful to patiently wait for me. He was standing outside the walls desiring to be let in. Just like I didn't want to harm this cat just wanted to give him some love that was what God wanted to do for me. He patiently waited with His arms stretched out for me to take a hold of them. Just like the cat had to open up and come to me I had to be the one to come out and be willing to let God love me.
Throughout my life there have been numerous people placed strategically by God in my life to give me that love I was seeking. They were there patiently waiting for me to let them in. I had to only open the door a little.
Have you been hurt in the past? Are you starving for love? Are you seeking for love in places where it's not at? Ask God to remove those barriers keeping you from fully experiencing His all encompassing love. He will do it. His desire is for us to be healed. Spend time with God allowing Him to show you what His love looks and feels like. He can break down any barriers in your heart.