“Follow your heart”
“Go with the flow”
“If it feels good, do it”
Could there be any worse advice, particularly when it comes to relationships?
And if I can’t trust the world to teach me what love is, where can I find a trustworthy and unchanging source of wisdom?
I can only learn about real love from God – because, God is love. He demonstrates through His relationship with us what our relationships with others are to look like. His selfless and sacrificial love towards us displays no fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants attitude. It was no plan with thoughts only of the present – it has our future completely taken care of because we are incapable of deserving a good one. His relationship with all of mankind was orchestrated down to the most minute detail; but more than that, it was a plan that was followed through with.
The general attitude that the world’s ideas promote is detrimental in any sort of relationship, because a solid relationship does not happen by accident or without effort. A healthy, long lasting relationship does not come about by just floating along with whatever current comes by. A house is only built when a person or group of people work to make it happen and are intentional about following through to completion. After it has been built, the beauty can be enjoyed – but even then, it requires constant maintenance to keep the house from decay. I cannot go into autopilot in my relationships and assume that they will be okay. My relationships with my friends and family all require work, and I need to be willing to put the necessary effort forth.
When I am selfish and only think about what I can get out of a relationship without putting anything into it, the relationship will not last. When I am focused on myself and what I want from other people, a genuine love for the other person will not be the end result. But instead, when I really love somebody, I must be willing to embrace them no matter the baggage they carry. If I’m being honest, that is what I want from other people. That is real love.
Proclaiming His Goodness 