3 Points About Love that Don’t Come Naturally
Love is Uncommon Part 2
Redefining Relationships Part 9
In our last post, we ended with ingredient #4 to redefining love. This fourth ingredient is key, hence the reason we mentioned it last. In this post, we’re going to unpack this last ingredient because we believe it’s the most important when it comes to redefining and moving you away from ordinary love to a love that’s real, which is uncommon. While you might think (at least under normal conditions) that love has no prerequisites, you’re wrong.
“…God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.” – 1 John 4:16 NLT
Love is not the prerequisite.
Love and God are inseparable. Here are three points you need to consider when redefining love-evaluating whether or not someone loves you or whether you love another.
- God is love.
We’ve heard this many times before, God is love. However, have you ever given much thought to what this really means? If God is love (and He is), that means love is whatever God is. If God is a being (a person), then so is love. God’s not a feeling, so neither is love. To love someone with this understanding, means you must act as God towards them. Love would look something like this…- How would God respond to your spouse in the situation, whatever the situation may be? It’s not the way we naturally respond; that’s not love.
- What does God think about your children on the tough days? It’s not what we normally see in their flaws or failures; that’s not love.
- – Who does God think you are when you feel you don’t measure up? It’s not in the way we ordinarily limit ourselves; that’s not love.To love (respond like God) another means, you’ll see them the way He does. You’ll become their miracle worker. You’ll become their provider. More importantly, you’ll give them your best even when they give you their worst.
- Love and God are inseparable.
You can not separate “love” from God. In other words, you can’t love or even say you love without knowing God. It’s impossible. How God behaves, responds, and thinks is the example we use to love another. Love is to heal. Love is to create. Love is to be more than enough. Love is to be righteous. Love transforms those we encounter. It makes the one you encounter better. Love doesn’t leave another broken, beaten or abused. Love leaves others in a prosperous, and favorable place. - You can’t live in God without living in love.
I recall the day I gained this insight and made the connection between God and love. I was talking to God and realized that no matter who I disliked or even hated, God loves them. He is still their God so how can I dislike what God loves? Wouldn’t that mean I didn’t live in love and thusly not in God. Living in love is the same as ignoring all the reasons you could hate, dislike or be offended by another. “Common” is the person who can justify not loving others and at the same time believe they are connected to God.
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If that’s the case and it is, what if you don’t know God, you can’t know what “love” really is. This my friend is troubling because all those you thought loved you more times than not don’t and can’t because they don’t know God. They don’t know Love. If the prerequisite for love is knowing God, then there are very few that know how to love. If you want to stop being disappointed by “love” and others, then you need to redefine it. Get to know it and let it (Love) change your world. Because that’s what love does it changes and shakes the world. You can turn your world upside down when you get to know Love. I dare you to try Him (love that is)!
Question: What is the most common assumption you have about love and how has it impacted you? Leave a comment below or click here to email me.
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