Is it easier to love or be loved?

[PANCAKES]

Being loved is easier (its freely given by God after all), even when you don't feel loved.

 

[mj007]

Why do you find it hard to be loving?

Being loved is easier (its freely given by God after all), even when you don't feel loved.

 

[La_Vie_En_Rose]

Yep Galatea no matter what your username you are my friend,and like a friend you get on my nerves,and cheer me up,and care about me,and we've had a falling out,but hey that's "my kind of friendships" when I lose a friend then get them back it makes the friendship "stronger",ordinary friends come and go but you are "one of a kind" and so I'll never forget you and always be glad to be around you.

Thanks, that is very kind. I don’t support your attraction for a minor, but you are a nice person. As said minor is not in your immediate vicinity, I don’t have to harp on it all the time.

 

[La_Vie_En_Rose]

Why do you find it hard to be loving?

I can not answer for her. But being loved requires nothing- opening a gift, accepting some sweet offering. Loving requires effort.

“Herein is love, not that we love God, but that He loves us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation of our sins.” I John 4:10

Can any one of us say we love as we ought to love one another, or even as we want to love one another?

I teach school, and I can tell you it is much harder to keep loving a student who calls me a white witch (substitute b for w) than it is for me to be loved by same student.

Loving is hard work, accepting love is the easiest thing in the world.

 

[mailmandan]

It's easier to love WHEN YOU HAVE BEEN LOVED.

 

[joefizz]

I can not answer for her. But being loved requires nothing- opening a gift, accepting some sweet offering. Loving requires effort.

“Herein is love, not that we love God, but that He loves us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation of our sins.” I John 4:10

Can any one of us say we love as we ought to love one another, or even as we want to love one another?

I teach school, and I can tell you it is much harder to keep loving a student who calls me a white witch (substitute b for w) than it is for me to be loved by same student.

Loving is hard work, accepting love is the easiest thing in the world.

On the other hand sometimes that sort of behaviour can be a sign of "endearment" a fare few are brought up in families where cursings are treated as blessings,it can be rare but it happens,it can even be a cry for help,but yeah it's definitely not easy striving to be loving to anyone that insults you whether they mean what they say or not.

 

[La_Vie_En_Rose]

On the other hand sometimes that sort of behaviour can be a sign of "endearment" a fare few are brought up in families where cursings are treated as blessings,it can be rare but it happens,it can even be a cry for help,but yeah it's definitely not easy striving to be loving to anyone that insults you whether they mean what they say or not.

I’ll give you the context. He called me that after I told him to stop talking so I could give them instructions. It was definitely not a term of endearment.

 

[La_Vie_En_Rose]

I suppose I am the resident contrarian. In this instance, I am not being contrary to be contrary.

If it is so easy to love, why are we told CONSTANTLY to love? John wrote three epistles basically exhorting us to love. Not one verse in the Bible tells us to accept love from each other (it can be argued that the whole Bible exhorts us to accept God’s love).

We are commanded to love- why? Because REALLY loving others is unnatural and difficult.

 

[joefizz]

I’ll give you the context. He called me that after I told him to stop talking so I could give them instructions. It was definitely not a term of endearment.

Yep certainly not.

 

[joefizz]

I suppose I am the resident contrarian. In this instance, I am not being contrary to be contrary.

If it is so easy to love, why are we told CONSTANTLY to love? John wrote three epistles basically exhorting us to love. Not one verse in the Bible tells us to accept love from each other (it can be argued that the whole Bible exhorts us to accept God’s love).

We are commanded to love- why? Because REALLY loving others is unnatural and difficult.

Yeah love and mourning are the two toughest things that I struggle with,just love in any wise is tough alone,especially the love Jesus expects of us,when he says to. "love thy neighbor as yourself" which includes those who are enemies in some form or fashion,honestly I still can't love my earthly father "whole heartedly" because he has for the longest time sought doing evil toward me and others,and then acting as if we're supposed to just help him all the time despite him doing such evil,but I do wish him well and strive not to "get in fights" with him because it's the only way I feel I can "honor" him by leaving him be.

 

[La_Vie_En_Rose]

Yeah love and mourning are the two toughest things that I struggle with,just love in any wise is tough alone,especially the love Jesus expects of us,when he says to. "love thy neighbor as yourself" which includes those who are enemies in some form or fashion,honestly I still can't love my earthly father "whole heartedly" because he has for the longest time sought doing evil toward me and others,and then acting as if we're supposed to just help him all the time despite him doing such evil,but I do wish him well and strive not to "get in fights" with him because it's the only way I feel I can "honor" him by leaving him be.

I am a difficult person to love, God knows. I know it is harder for God to love me than for me to accept His love. Those everlasting arms that are underneath amaze me.

Love is hard work.

 

[notmyown]

I am a difficult person to love, God knows. I know it is harder for God to love me than for me to accept His love. Those everlasting arms that are underneath amaze me.

Love is hard work.

nay, sister, God loves you effortlessly. He doesn't struggle to do so.
He has loved you with an everlasting love, so in a sense His love for you had no beginning. His love for you flows forth from His own nature.

i am very glad you've come back. ♥

 

[La_Vie_En_Rose]

nay, sister, God loves you effortlessly. He doesn't struggle to do so.
He has loved you with an everlasting love, so in a sense His love for you had no beginning. His love for you flows forth from His own nature.

i am very glad you've come back. ♥

Thank you, you are most kind. I disagree in a way. I think dying on the cross was the most difficult thing God ever did- and being incarnated was the second most difficult thing God ever did. So, in a sense, His loving us was effort. He did not begrudge it- because His nature is loving. He went with joy to the cross. The cross itself was difficult and work.

Think of it like this: suppose a washerwoman breaks her back to put her beloved son through college. She does not begrudge the labor, it is in her nature to love her child. But the love requires hard work.

 

[notmyown]

Thank you, you are most kind. I disagree in a way. I think dying on the cross was the most difficult thing God ever did- and being incarnated was the second most difficult thing God ever did. So, in a sense, His loving us was effort. He did not begrudge it- because His nature is loving. He went with joy to the cross. The cross itself was difficult and work.

Think of it like this: suppose a washerwoman breaks her back to put her beloved son through college. She does not begrudge the labor, it is in her nature to love her child. But the love requires hard work.

oic! yes, we do speak of the Person and Work of Christ.

i think you have a good point, and express it well. His work came from His love. do you think now that we are accepted in the Beloved, it's still hard for God to love us?

 

[La_Vie_En_Rose]

oic! yes, we do speak of the Person and Work of Christ.

i think you have a good point, and express it well. His work came from His love. do you think now that we are accepted in the Beloved, it's still hard for God to love us?

God is our Father. I think sometimes it is hard for parents to love their children when they are doing things that are self destructive. I imagine it is the same way with God.

 

[PANCAKES]

I can not answer for her. But being loved requires nothing- opening a gift, accepting some sweet offering. Loving requires effort.

“Herein is love, not that we love God, but that He loves us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation of our sins.” I John 4:10

Can any one of us say we love as we ought to love one another, or even as we want to love one another?

I teach school, and I can tell you it is much harder to keep loving a student who calls me a white witch (substitute b for w) than it is for me to be loved by same student.

Loving is hard work, accepting love is the easiest thing in the world.

Couldn't have said it better myself

 

[Solemateleft]

Better to have loved and lost...

I think that it is easier to love. You have control over your love, and you can choose who to give some to, and even how much (love for a friend vs a love for someone who have a crush on vs love for family, etc.).
However, to be loved, you earn that love from others. Basically like respect...you don't go out handing people respect without a reason for it, and so that is the same with love. There may be someone who acts like they love you, but in the end, that may as well be false, for they may like you for your money, looks, etc. and not for your true self. Speaking of true self, it is really hard for you to reveal your true self to others sometimes...you may reveal that to someone who you really like, but usually not to a casual friend. So if that's the case, what's giving other people motivation and reason(s) to love you?

 

[La_Vie_En_Rose]

Couldn't have said it better myself

Thank you, very much. I thought that was probably the same mind set as my own.

 

[La_Vie_En_Rose]

Better to have loved and lost...

Not necessarily, if the person you loved and lost loves another. It is like 10,000 cuts to witness someone you love and lost love other people. Tennyson wrote those lines not about romantic love- he wrote them upon the death of his friend. In that case, it is better to have loved and lost than never loved at all. But to love a man romantically whilst he does not love you back, and he expends all his energy upon pursuing women who do not love him is a living Hell.

 

[laughingheart]

No I don't. I trust my kids to love me, I trusted my mother when she was alive. I just don't trust women, I think they all lie.

Think what you are saying. Your mother is a woman and yet you say all women lie. This is disrespectful to her. It is probably closer to the truth to say all people lie. I have never met a person, for whatever reason, who has not lied. You cannot love your neighbor as a Christian when you start off with disrespecting them. You make it clear you have no Christian love for them.
I do not know your history but allow your beliefs to affect your attitudes and you will have more peace. There are fabulous women out there just like your mother.