Love is…
If I asked you to finish that sentence, what would you say?
If you’re anything like me, there are many things that will inform what your answer to that question will be. Your family, life experiences, society and cultural norms all speak into your view of love.
Over the years as a licensed professional counselor, I’ve done a lot of work in unpacking the topic of love and relationships. I’ve read books, written books, heard talks, spoke at talks, listened to people’s opinions, and generated my own. I’ve attended classes, created seminars, and written courses. I’ve even learned experientially through the blessing of my marriage and the other significant relationships God has brought into my life.
But above and beyond all these things, nothing has informed my understanding of love more than my relationship with God and my understanding of His word.
There are so many definitions we can create about love. So many meanings to this four letter word that the world is trying to convince us to believe.
We quote it in our conversations, sing about it in our songs, and talk about it in our sermons. We use words like “falling in love” and “falling out of love”. We use the term liberally, slathering it on everything from ice cream, to Netflix, to our family and friends.
But what does it REALLY mean, to love?
That is the question I will be asking in this new blog series…Because I am longing to know the answer, just as much as you. I believe that according to God’s word, love is not just a feeling, but a series of actions that we choose to engage in. All over scripture we see love described by the things someone does – with the greatest example being Jesus, who laid His very life down for us as an act of love. And this…this kind of love is what I want to learn more about.
So for the next few posts, I, along with some of my favorite authors, pastors, and teachers, will be unpacking the “actions” of love, one by one, as described in 1 Corinthians 13. My prayer for this series is that together we can learn just a little bit more of what it really means to love and be loved, and that it would transform both our lives and the way we do relationships.
So come along with me…and let’s learn to really love.
Comment below: What are some things that have influenced and informed your definition of love? #LoveIs…
Debra Fileta is a Professional Counselor, national speaker, and author of the book True Love Dates: Your Indispensable Guide to Finding the Love of Your Life, and 21 Days to Jump Start Your Love Life, where she writes candidly about dating, relationships, and how to find true love. You may also recognize her voice from her 150+ articles at Relevant Magazine or Crosswalk.com! She’s also the creator of this True Love Dates Blog! Connect with her on Facebook or Twitter!
