Devotional Thoughts: Is It Love?

Love is something we all seek to know and experience. I’ve been asked what love is by some who have spent their lives suffering at the hand of others. When your childhood was full of neglect, pain and abuse it’s normal to ask this question.

Firstly, love is a commitment. It’s a decision. Yes, it’s that simple. Love is a choice we make and we continuously walk that road the best we know how.

There’s a lot of misinformation in our world about love. 1 Corinthians 13 can help us better define what real love is in our lives, “⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” If it’s not one of these it’s probably not love.

Our emotions can sometimes play games with us and cause us to think lust is love, attention is love or want is love. Truth is that love is self sacrificing. It puts the other person first. Love lays down it’s life and that’s why what Jesus did for each and every one of us is love. If you’re seeking true love the best place to start is a relationship with Jesus. Jesus will not disappoint. He will not betray. Jesus does not enter into a relationship with us for what He can get out of it. Jesus has out best interest at heart.

It’s because I have a relationship with Jesus and try to walk with God every day that I have love in my life. I don’t think I’d know what love is if I hadn’t given my life to God years ago. I know love for me would have been a self serving, come and meet my needs kind of “love” and all that leads to hurt and disappointment.

Jesus was on a mission. He made the decision way before He laid down His life for us. When we enter into a relationship with another person we too can decide to love that person with the guidelines of 1 Cor. 13. We can commit to protect, trust, hope and persevere. If you find someone who can commit to do the same it’s a win-win!