What does love mean to you?
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I said love is a nice lie because it makes you believe in a happy, fulfilling relationship that only exists in fantasyland. Happy and fulfilling does happen sometimes, but it is preceded by lots of waiting, struggling, compromise, disagreement, etc...
There are a few lucky ones out there who know real love, the kind that knows no bounds, but that kind of love is usually only found in old couples who have been together their whole lives, or have been through so much already that they know better than to let the little things bother them...
And by the way... I'd appreciate it if people didn't repeat or reply what I said in posts that I deleted. Thanks!
There are a few lucky ones out there who know real love, the kind that knows no bounds, but that kind of love is usually only found in old couples who have been together their whole lives, or have been through so much already that they know better than to let the little things bother them...
And by the way... I'd appreciate it if people didn't repeat or reply what I said in posts that I deleted. Thanks!
I think you have it backwards my friend, true love isn't the kind of love with no struggles lots of waiting,compromise, disagreement, etc... in fact true love will have all of this and more. Think of God and us his is true love but it did not come without struggling argument waiting compromise or sacrifice in fact it was almost never without all of this but the difference is that even in all this he loves us just the same.
In the same way do not expect to go without all these things in a relationship because even with the deepest of love together all of this will happen at some point but what makes it true love is if you two still love each other just the same
In the same way do not expect to go without all these things in a relationship because even with the deepest of love together all of this will happen at some point but what makes it true love is if you two still love each other just the same
Lots of good responses so far, though I think you can ask a hundred people and get 107 different responses (some of them biblical!). The first challenge we have is that English has only one word for this range of experiences. Greek has four. I suspect other languages may have even more.
I'd like to propose something...
That "warm lovey-dovey gushy romantic feeling" IS love.
Before anyone asks the mods to ban me, let me explain... this feeling is not all that love is, by a long shot. It is part of the wealth of experience which God has given to us in relationships. It is the bait on the hook, the cherry on the sundae, the appetizer at the feast. It passes with familiarity or with tension, but may be renewed (even frequently). It gets us "in the door" of relating beyond mere friendship or acquaintance. The problem is that we are easily deceived into believing that this feeling is all that love is, which is incorrect and naive. So when the feeling passes, we mistakenly think the relationship is in trouble, or not worth the effort to continue.
This feeling doesn't develop in certain relationships, but only in romantic (or potentially romantic) ones. It is the crazy glue that holds people together long enough for other parts of love to grow. It is the solvent which temporarily breaks down walls, goes around defenses, and undermines barricades so that deeper love may enter. It makes the difference between that special one and all the other family and friends whom you "love". It is what makes us feel special to another. It doesn't exist in our relationship with God (there are parallels though); this is a gift from God unique to human relationships.
Clearly, there is much more to love... but I won't bore you all by sharing the entire February 14th sermon!
I'd like to propose something...
That "warm lovey-dovey gushy romantic feeling" IS love.
Before anyone asks the mods to ban me, let me explain... this feeling is not all that love is, by a long shot. It is part of the wealth of experience which God has given to us in relationships. It is the bait on the hook, the cherry on the sundae, the appetizer at the feast. It passes with familiarity or with tension, but may be renewed (even frequently). It gets us "in the door" of relating beyond mere friendship or acquaintance. The problem is that we are easily deceived into believing that this feeling is all that love is, which is incorrect and naive. So when the feeling passes, we mistakenly think the relationship is in trouble, or not worth the effort to continue.
This feeling doesn't develop in certain relationships, but only in romantic (or potentially romantic) ones. It is the crazy glue that holds people together long enough for other parts of love to grow. It is the solvent which temporarily breaks down walls, goes around defenses, and undermines barricades so that deeper love may enter. It makes the difference between that special one and all the other family and friends whom you "love". It is what makes us feel special to another. It doesn't exist in our relationship with God (there are parallels though); this is a gift from God unique to human relationships.
Clearly, there is much more to love... but I won't bore you all by sharing the entire February 14th sermon!
