The Fear of Love

Ahhh, the season of love.... It is the time of year when the thought of loving someone, is most on our minds. We run out and by ridiculous amounts of candy, stuffed animals, flowers and the like. Don't hear me being a pessimist, it's a good way to show those you care about, that you care. And who doesn't enjoy such over the top expression from others, occasionally? We all do. Even if it does come a slight bit out of obligation and not pure choice. The love is still there but as we many have determined, there's just something about our innate craving for love that no other person can satisfy. It's nothing to be held against someone but there's always a need for more.

I find that people are in 3 general categories of emotion when it comes to love.

1. They feel loved
2. They don't feel loved
                or
3. They no longer feel loved

...even those that claim not to need love, fall into one of these groups

The threat in either group, is that they are all producers of fear. Fear of the ever increasing possibility that at any point, we may find ourselves migrating from one branch to the other...against our will. Unexpectedly. Someone else is always in control of whether or not we feel loved. At least when it comes to receiving that love from other people. We panic if the relationship takes a turn. If the other person becomes what we consider too busy to give us the attention we need or shows any disinterest at all. Ahhh, love. It can be exhausting. The emotion of it, that is.

This is why the scriptures tell us to love God above all and to know that his love is what truly, truly fulfills us. Sure we are called to love others and be loved by them, and the need for human affection is designed by God himself, but ultimately we can't even love without first knowing the love of God. And this love, holds no fear at all, not even a little. We can have complete confidence that it will ALWAYS be there! It will always remain...

Whichever category you find yourself in today, know that it's not what defines you. Enjoy the loves you have, and don't concern yourself with the others. In Christ, you have access to love that depends not on what you or others do right or wrong, even the love... of the king... of the universe. Be loved!

"There is no remedy for love but to love more."- Henry David Thoreau

What are your thoughts on love?

Scripture References 1 John 4:16-19, Romans 8:35, 1 Corinthians 13:13

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