This blog was originally written on March 26, 2006. This blog was probably my most in depth piece yet. It brought about my love for writing and my first realization that I could think a little deeper than my superficial tendencies of the past. I have changed since then, and my views on this topic may be a little different now. However, the purpose of writing is to see how your attitudes and values change. It is nice to look back:

Love ------ I will be taking excerpts from C.S. Lewis' book Mere Christianity as well as the Bible and my own interperetation in my attempt to convey what true love is

Is love at its core, a feeling?
You see, that is what we have all been grown to believe our entire lives.
However, I submit to you, love itself is not a feeling at all.

Love is committment.

Now, we must define committment. Does committment mean as long as we want to do something, we will continue? Does it mean that only as long as that passion for something is still raging, we will continue to be faithful to it?

No! Committment in itself is a promise. However, promise in this day in age is based upon feelings. True committment is an undying promise to follow through with something no matter what arises and no matter what feelings occur along the way.

Now, feelings are a byproduct of anything we do. They are not (or should not) be the reason why we take action. Feelings are encouragement and discouragement to continue to do something or to quit.

Any choice based upon encouragement and discouragement is really not solid at all. Choices based on truth are the only solid foundation.

If there is no absolute, there cannot be truth. If there is an absence of truth, there can be no right choices or wrong choices; there can only be choices based upon feelings. And as I have just said, feelings are no basis for right choice.

So, we must accept that if a choice is made void of feelings, rather, absolute truth, then no matter what happens, that choice is rooted in something infallable. Having all of these things set in place lends us to the ability to make a true committment.

Again, a true committment is based on unshakable promise, which is rooted in absolute truth, which is eternal and undying.

Let us weave this back to love.

Feelings of love are not fake whatsoever. I myself know how these feelings can affect judgement and actions. And, if, first being rooted in absolute truth, these feelings are not bad. However, they cannot be relied on to sustain committment.

Now I start to take what I have learned from C.S. Lewis

Being in love is not the same as love. Being 'in love' is the early stages of love. Mainly based upon feeling, a decision of whether or not committment will be made insues. Being in love is such a blessing. It is a time when we discover what it feels to be adored and to adore.

However, anyone who has been "In Love" knows what it feels for those feelings of complete joy to start to wane. This is where the foundation of committment begins to show its true strength.

"Love (apart from being in love) is not merely a feeling. It is a deep unity, maintained by the will and deliberately strengthened by habit...The two can have this love for each other even at those moments when they do not like each other; as you love yourself even when you do not like yourself. They can retain this love even when each would easily, if they allowed themselves, BE 'IN LOVE' with somebody else." - C.S. Lewis

Once those feelings of being 'In Love' leave, and you have made the committment to love this person no matter what, you begin to discover what true love is. Love means no matter what the situation, you will forgive, you will be faithful, you will not go back on your promise.

However, those feelings of being 'In Love' will come back. Maybe not for long, but you will be blessed with those feelings again if you stay committed. And, as a result of that undying committment, those hardships will come as well. These feelings continue to come and go, but again, that will not matter if you will remain faithful no matter what. Life is not fair, but love rooted in absolute truth will always remain. You will have that one thing in life to count on. No matter what the situation, if you stay true in your relationship, life will be manageable.

Now, you may all think I am talking about human relationships. In a sense, we as humans can grasp that. But, we are not perfect. We have no ability to remain committed wholeheartedly without the Absolute working through us.

That absolute is Christ. He is is the one we must root our committments in. Hebrews 13:8 - Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.

For God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. -- Romans 5:8

God will not change, He has loved us before the creation of the world, He loves us now, and He will love us forever.

If we do not base our earthly love on a Love, that is God, which never changes and is always faithful, we will be disappointed with anything we look to. If we can experience pure love, we will never go back. God loves us when we are unlovable. No matter how you have been hurt in this life, tainted by satan and his evil, you have the gift of love awaiting you. God only tells us to receive it. All we must do is give all control to Him and run into His open arms. Once we do that, we will experience His unfathomable love on this earth, and once we die, we will bask in His love forever and ever in His Holy Presence.

I promise that receiving that Love will heal the wounds you thought unhealable. It may not be immediate or exactly how we would like, but Christ's power gives us that ability to heal. But, it takes that committment on your part to love God as He loves us. If you do, the worries of this life will be manageable because you know that God is there as your comforter at all times.

Amen Lord Jesus!!
I LOVE YOU!