Tuesday, October 16, 2012

What is love?

What is love... exactly? I can tell you, its what God has for us. Without God, we wouldn't love (1 John 4:19). I'm having a hard time grasping that. I know what I want.. I also feel like God has been calling me to do something Greater or bigger, than the situation I am in. I also feel like many people find themselves in a very lifeless routine when it comes to love. You get stuck and comfortable in someone. Then eventually you stay there long enough to where you get dependent on the routine. You may not be happy, but your comfortable. You're afraid to leave that routine. You may even grow to hate it, but yet you feel like God is calling you out of it. I've been there. I see some women settle for things much less than what they deserve, and I've never realized that I'm probably doing the same. I definitely want that relationship where I have a man that prays with me and for me, and with my children. I've wanted the man that God describes to be the leader and emotional leader of the relationship, men are suppose to set the example. I want a husband that encourages me to become closer with God, rather than sleeps in on mornings when my children and I are on my way to church. There is scripture that says 'do not be unequally yoked'. (2 cor 6:14) Yoked means married, do not be married to someone who is not a believer. Finding myself closer and closer to God, I've realized the importance of that. My best friend Megan really helped me today too, she suggested that I study the bible and find things that God describes to be love and make a list... So I took it upon myself to study and do some research all about verses or scripture in the bible that is specifically linked to love. I figured that it not only would help me, but it would also help young women out there to see what God describes to be a healthy relationship centered around God. Here's what I found:

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

Ephesians 4:2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

1 Peter 1:22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,

1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.

Song of Solomon 8:6-7 Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the LORD. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, he would be utterly despised.
Ephesians 4:2-3 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Philippians 2:2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind

Psalm 63:3 Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.

Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

Matthew 5:43-48 You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

John 15:9-17 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

and here's my list of things that I felt like Love should be or have in a Godly relationship:
Love is....                                                          Love is not.....
patient                                                                jealous
kind                                                                    rude
gentle                                                                 arrogant
bears all things                                                   perishable
believes all things                               rejoice in wrongdoing
endures all things                                               irritable
truthful                                                                selfish
strong                                                                  resentful
pure                                                                     greedy
obedient                                                              cheating
abiding
a friendship
praying for the loved and enemies
floods cannot drown it
sacrificial
unceasing
fulfilling
strengthening
joyful
steadfast
fulfilling
understanding
EVERLASTING

so.. I could have went on and on. This is a short list of words that I took from not just the verses above but many others that would've just been overwhelming for you to read.. it would've taken two hours. The ones above are the ones that spoke to me the most and that I could abide in very easily.
So these lists, I've challenged myself and you to read through those and maybe check off words that might describe your relationship. One of the main things that I found was that Jealousy is as evil as the Devil, with jealousy you're not capable of having a relationship. Its like oil being put onto a fire. It can ruin a relationship. Jealousy is not healthy. Now not only have I challenged myself to check off things that my partner may not do, but I've also flipped the mirror around on me and looked at things that I believe I could change to make my relationship better and what a Godly relationship for a man and a woman would look like. Now I would hope that the list on the left would be more what you want, (whoever is reading this). Welp, I know its not much, but that my post about love and what I feel like a Godly relationship should look like and what it should feel.. now its time to us find that :)


xoxoxox,
Shelbs