What Is Love?

Love each other. Just as I have loved you 

- John 13:34

 

I used to think love was showing affection and lavishing special people in my life with gifts. I also used to think love represented that flutter sensation you'd feel in the pit of your stomach when you're dating someone new. As I matured spiritually, I began to understand that love is not necessarily showing affection, giving gifts or butterfly sensations. Love is a spiritual attitude that you purposefully and consciously walk in.

"Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, boastful, proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance", I Corinthians 13:4 nlt.

I Love this passage! No pun intended lol! Love is action! Love is being and doing all of the things described even when you don't feel like it or better yet even when its not being done to you! (I don't condone physical or verbal abusive and feel a person should remove themselves from that situation if possible). "Love one another the way I have loved you", says Christ. This is very very difficult to do because the majority of us are not naturally built this way. We want to defend ourselves when people do us wrong and we want to put people in their place when they’ve hurt us. I've learned It's OK to defend myself and confront people on issues, but it's supposed to be done in a loving way.

Many of you have read my brief story regarding my marriage in The Power of Prayer blog.  I shared with you how praying bible scriptures helped turn things around. Love was also an important factor in restoring my marriage. The first couple of years were very difficult, as most marriages are in the beginning. We were in a make it or break it season and I wanted my marriage to make it! I wanted God to show me how to be a good wife hoping that would change my situation. I shared with you how I found every bible scripture I could on being a wife and that I would emulate what I read. One day I came across I Corinthians 13. I was challenged not to settle for being just a good wife but a loving wife. It's easy to emulate something and put on a front for a period of time. But, It's difficult to allow a permanent internal change to take place, especially when what you are giving out seems like it’s not being reciprocated. I struggled, but I pressed my way through and learned the true meaning of love. In the end Love did not fail me. I not only became a loving wife but a loving person. The love that I now understand was not just confined to my husband but to others as well. Have I arrived in the area of love? NO. Will I ever arrive? probably not. It's a process that I walk out every day with Gods help and conviction.

As you go about your day, try to be mindful of how you treat those that are close to you, on your job and people you meet daily. Remember to be patient and kind. Love can be a listening ear, a word of encouragement or even a hug. Don't worry about the love not being reciprocated especially if it's coming from a pure place. When you sow seeds of love you will eventually reap love and most times your harvest will be greater than what was sown.

Be blessed and enjoy your Valentines Day!

Tytenisha