One of my dear readers asked a question in response to a post, “What is love?” The question is worthy of an answer. Love is said to be a wonderful thing, along with other things. 1 Corinthians 13 gives us a beautiful image of how God views love. Thus, as human beings, we have our particular thoughts about love and its many dimensions. I asked one person while I was writing this post, “Do you know what love is? The response, “I guess so.” I wonder how many people have that response. Do any of us know what love is? Do we know how to get it and give it? How do we keep it? What does it look like in our life?
Just a thought, but I feel that our perceptions of love shape our relationship commitments. Think about it. What are the attributes of love in your personal opinion? Is love kind, forgiving, unselfish, compassionate, and necessary as a foundation of a relationship? Or, is it having someone in your life to meet your every need and desire? Additionally, is it all the riches a person can provide? Is it security in your life?
Further, how has it affected your past relationships and the present? So many questions about love we can ask. What is love? Take a moment to ponder this question, and then please, please share your thoughts by responding to this post. Remember, or if you are a new reader, know that you can respond by using Anonymous. Your name isn’t essential, but your comment is. Consequently, I am curious to see how many different or same viewpoints we have concerning the meaning of love.
In today’s world, where so many things are out of order, especially our current situation, we all need to be loved and give love. Love has a sustaining power that is a force to help us make it through life’s trials and tribulations. The most remarkable example of love is the love of God that transcends time and is infinite. This love we do not want to live without it. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 1 John 4:16. I’ll be back next week with a new post, “What Mathematical Symbol Is Your Partner?”
Be encouraged, and God bless!
Sister Jackie
Awesome question! To me, “love is” the pure sweet essence that not only flows “out” of our hearts, but it also flows “into” our hearts and “fills” our hearts too. And, Love to me is more profound and deeper than words can truly express, but, yet simple enough that even a child knows if they are genuinely loved. I think that, no matter the “type” of love, that “genuine” love is simply given and received, and you can not “make” genuine love happen. God freely, unconditionally and sincerely gives His love to us, and we do not “make” it happen. For He just loves us, “period”! And in return, we are to genuinely and freely give our love to Him.
And a lot of us desire that special someone to be “in” love with, and for them to be “in” love with us too. I truly believe that one has to personally experience “love” for oneself to know “what love feels like to them”. I say that because, I have heard many, including myself, say that when a relationship was over, that they just thought that they were in love, but now that it is over, they know that they were not in love, that they were just in love with the “idea” of the relationship. I feel that, sometimes, we confuse fondness and desire with “love”.
So to me, genuine “love is” that which begins in one’s heart, it lives in one’s heart, and never ends, because, it’s unconditional, it’s the example of Love that God shows us, because God IS eternally Love!
You expressed your thoughts so eloquently. I wholeheartedly agree that love has to flow in and out of our hearts, and we cannot make “genuine” love happen. Nothing can buy or force true love. Love your response! May God’s unconditional love surround you, cover you and keep you in His loving care. Be blessed, my sister!