There are so many people who are afraid to love. Love like life can rarely be planed, it happens in some of the least expected places. In fact, you probably will not find true love when you seek, chase or expect it.
True love comes when you know a person's flaws and differences, yet you appreciate, need and want to be around them. Couples often compliment each other with their differences. For example you may be introverted in groups, but your partner loves socializing. As a couple you can learn to be happy in both situations. The differences in personalities enhance each other. Ideally, both personalities will help each other grow into the most they can become.
Friendships should also be a place to develop personalities. We're often attracted to opposite personalities from our own aren't we? That may be a God given instinct to seek what we are lacking. I think about my friends and neighbors who gently lead me back to the right path. I thank God so much for them.
Relationships are often misleading or deceiving but when they are, it is not because of love. Love comes from God. The human heart is desperately wicked who can know it? (How often does the Bible say that? Many, many times doesn't it!) Satan always has his nasty little ways of throwing daggers or piercing love with snares of temptation. Temptations always hit us in our weakest spots. Before we know it that person's perfume, or Cologne does more than attract our sense of smell. We find our mind wondering ... So just a little flirting begins, if it continues it could mean both people are in for a down hill slide.
How many families are destroyed because of little temptations that lead to deep emotions, or flings that put both partners families lives into jeopardy?
How can we safe guard against these pit falls? Honestly, NONE of us are ever out of danger of the pit falls. The only way we can protect ourselves, families and God's glory is to stay grounded in Christ Jesus, not on a superficial level, but a true intimacy level. You can go to every church function there is and never know God on an intimate level. You must love Him first before you can truly love others.
The only thing worse than loving and being crushed by it is never loving at all. What a waste of a life and missed blessings. Pain from relationships must be healed by God. Let Him wash, hold and love you-then return that love first in forgiveness and then by loving those you chose to reject. They still seek your friendship and love.
Read 1 Corinthians chapter 13
