ultimately love is a choice,cuz when the newness wears off(wich it always does)you are left with the real person,would you love that person if they were burned up in a fire till they were almost unrecognizable!
I think a lot of us equate "being in love" with how that person makes us feel about ourselves
I think we have to have a list of things we wont compramise on to keep ourselves from falling for someone who,in the long run will not be the wrong choice for us
Hmmmm... so many kinds of love really. There is agape love... as christians... that we should extend to others. Christ-like love for mankind.
In romantic love... there are stages for sure. As in relationships in general... there are stages. I agree with the other comment... LOVE is a choice. You make a choice to continue in love(committment) .... even when it gets rough. I think for me.. I know I am "IN LOVE".. when I feel that I WOULD GO THROUGH HECK AND BACK FOR THAT PERSON. My sense of committment is so strong... I "believe" in that person...in their value. Problem is... sometimes we can believe in someone MORE than they believe in themselves. (But... is that not what Christ was all about?)
In the later stages of a relationship... the "not so admirable" qualities may come out about a person. As christians.. who desire and need to continue walking close to God... we have to be careful... that we do not stray from our Heavenly Father. We ALL fall short of the glory... we ALL sin.
It breaks my heart so ..to love someone but hate their sin. They take it as rejection.. when in fact..
I feel you are loving them DEEPLY because you know that God wants to set them free so they can experience true intimacy.. the deepest of love. YOU ARE LOVING THEM FAR MORE THAN THEY REALIZE!
Sorry... I have so much to say about LOVE... one of my favorite subjects!... lol.
L= Letting go of self
O= Offering ones self
V= Valuing the other person
E= Encouraging one another
Road to healthy Love: 1)Love God 2)Receive God's love (learn how to love yourself)... and then ... you can extend true, intimate love... and be able to receive it.
We all want unconditional love.. but human love has limits. God's love does not! We focus on the flesh..(outward appearance.. feelings..etc..) God's word teaches us how to love and tells us what love is supposed to look like. Corrinthians
:angel: God spoke to me one day when I was feeling particularly unworthy and needing some LOVE...lol. He said.. look into the mirror..stare into your own eyes... that's what I see.. that's what I love... THE SOUL. Think about this and let it penetrate your heart...WOW!
We are NOT PHYSICAL BODIES WITH SOULS.. but rather ... SOULS WITH PHYSICAL BODIES. (temporary at that).
No wonder we struggle with LOVE! We are living in the "flesh"... a "temporary" state of existence. Yet because we are SOULS... we ultimately are seeking a deeper kind of love which will never be fulfilled completely in the flesh.
Heavenly Father... I pray, in your divine mercy and grace, you teach us all how to love... ourselves.... as well as others. In Jesus' name.. Amen.
May you all have a truly blessed day... and GET YA SOME LOVE! (look in the mirror) :hearts:
