What is Love?
“Love is when someone makes me smile when I’m tired.”
“Love is when mom takes a sip of dad’s coffee before giving it to him to make sure it tastes just right.”
“Love is walking the dog when it’s below zero outside.”
There are so many ways to define love. So many ways of expressing it. What is love really and how are we to live it out in our relationships?
I decided to take a fresh look at the very basic definition of love offered by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7:
Love is patient.
Love is kind.
Love does not envy.
Love does not boast.
Love is not proud.
Love does not dishonor others.
Love is not self-seeking.
Love is not easily angered.
Love keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil.
Love rejoices in the truth.
Love always protects.
Love always trusts.
Love always hopes.
Love always perseveres.
Most of us have heard these verses quoted a million times. Be when we look at our relationships–with God and others–are we really living them out? Gulp.
I don’t know about you but when I go down the list and evaluate my own life in light of this standard, I can’t help but feel sucker-punched in the side with conviction. Suddenly, it becomes so glaringly obvious how far I am from truly loving.
The good news is we can always ask God for help. We need His grace and the power of His Holy Spirit. Without them we will never get there.
Here is a challenge for us all this week: Continue meditating on 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 line by line. Ask God:
Which aspect of love (from the verse above) do I need to work on
From whom do I need to ask forgiveness for not loving them well lately?
In what new ways can I show love to those around me?
Who is in need of Your love this week and how can I show it?
May we all have a fresh revelation of what God’s love means and how that is to transfer over into our human relationships.
Happy loving!
#kindness #patience #selfcontrol #peace #faithinGod #love #valentinesday #religion
*Would you like to work on your ability to love well? Perhaps you've recognized a deficit somewhere and you want to improve in that area. Or an important relationship has gone sour and you're unsure why and would like to process it through with someone. If so, I am here as a professional life coach to walk alongside you and support your growth in your journey. Book a FREE consultation here and let's have a chat!