Carl Reiner is quoted as saying, "Lust" is easy, "Love" is HARD. "Like" is most important."
Everywhere I look I see single people who want to be married, married people who want to be single, and some people who just want to be left alone! Has society fallen into an inescapable state of psychosis? Most people in the last category have given up hope in relationships because of past hurt, disappointments, feelings of being used and manipulated, or just have gotten lost on the path of love.
I asked myself the question, "Why is LOVE so hard?"
Answer: IT REQUIRES SOMETHING OF YOU!
Love...REAL love:
1. Reveals your imperfections (and faults)
2. Requires you to serve the other person BEFORE yourself
3. (Forces you to) Recognize your own role and responsibilities in the relationship
4. (Opens your eyes to) Realize RELATIONSHIPS was God's plan for creation (all along)
5. Releases you from SELF pride
LUST IS EASY
Lust doesn't require much from you but to recognize the outward appearance of something which will fill your void or PERCEIVED need temporarily! You'll be left wanting something that that act, that person, or that thing can never give. Lust can NEVER fulfill what LOVE was intended to make whole! You'll be left lacking!
There's a place, a void, and a space that can only be fulfilled by
1) God
2) Purpose (your vision and destiny)
3) God's chosen, anointed, and appointed MATE (for you)
LOVE IS HARD
Anything worth keeping is worth working hard for. Think about it, whatever you VALUE you protect! Whatever's important to you, you take care of. Whatever interests you, you pay ATTENTION to. Love isn't easy but it is fruitful. True love is commitment not an occurence. True love surpasses fault finding, superficiality, and growing pains. Think about it, whenever something is growing or expanding, it PRESSES outward which causes (temporary) distress. (Think about about how a baby grows in the womb, you don't get rid of the beautiful baby because the growing is painful).
"LIKE" IS MOST IMPORTANT
That's true! Although no one is likeable 100% of the time, especially those closest to you, it is important to strive to be likeable. (I'm preaching to myself). The bible says, "If you want friends show yourself FRIENDLY." Sometimes it's hard for our best friends, spouses, and children to like us because it's hard for them to press pass the roles we play in order to recognize the jewel they have in their midst. The same goes for us, "Do we recognize the GIFTS (in people) that God has placed in our lives? Relationships are encounters for a brief period of time that test you, grow you, and develop your L O V E walk. This journey is best enjoyed one footstep at a time. Two questions, "Do you have anyone on the journey with you? Do you have anything (any love) left to give?"
