How to find True Love • The Free Gift of God

Many of us spend an entire lifetime trying to find love. For some people, love may even seem like an impossibility.

Deep down, our hearts long for someone who gives us meaning and purpose; someone who knows our flaws and imperfections, yet is able to steadfastly love, forgive, and perfect us regardless.

It is easy to recognise love even if we don't quite understand it, because perfect love casts out fear. Perfect love is also founded on trust, which is based on the truth.

The only way to understand love is to have a perfect reference point, and that can only be found in the only perfect person, Jesus Christ.

Receiving
Love

Without a perfect example to follow, our experience of love is often scarred by disappointment, cynicism, fear, and hurt.

When we are motivated by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, it is hard to love others and accept love in return, because of our desires and our pride. Wrong choices made with the wrong motives destroy the trajectory of our life through time, leading to hopelessness and despair.

When the weight of our actions become hard to bear, we might turn to friends, family, therapists, medication, personal vices, shopping, work, good deeds, travel, fitness, astrology, yoga, crystals, hobbies, self-care, philosophy, meditation, food, social media, validation from others, or accomplishments for assurance or help.

Although these may give temporary comfort or relief, they will never perfect us. Rather, our unrighteous actions lead to guilt, then the fearful expectation of judgment. Nevertheless, true love is actually nearer to you than you may realise.

Love is
Trust

Humans are unique in that we can communicate with reasoning and language. This is why God has given us His Word, the Bible, so we can know His character and trust that He is faithful and true.

Our Creator is the Living God of the universe, and He is holy, righteous, and just, existing eternally as one God in three equal yet distinct persons- the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He understands our pain and emotions because He also has a heart. Our unrighteous actions, called sin, not only hurt Him, it hurts us and the people around us. If we don't address it, we will never be healed of it, and we can never experience what true love is.

The Bible is essentially God's love letter to us. He has made Himself emotionally vulnerable so that we can know He loves us, desires our well-being, and wants to help us. However, He also constantly emphasises the dire consequences of our actions if we try to live without Him.

Suffering and evil is perpetuated by human nature, and we are by default hostile and rebellious towards God. Thankfully, God has not given up on us, because try as we might, we cannot save ourselves.

Love is
Jesus Christ

At just the right time in history, God came to Earth in the person of Jesus. Jesus is the sole, eternal mediator between God and mankind– healing all who trust in Him with the mighty power of love.

Descending from heavenly glory, Jesus emptied Himself of His power and privilege to become fully human. Though He lived a perfect, sinless life, He also experienced pain, hurt, and sorrow, just as we have. He demonstrated God's love by healing the sick and freeing captives from sin. Then, He willingly laid down His life for us on the Roman cross, died, was buried, and rose victorious three days later.

Jesus is alive today, and He is the embodiment of Love. Not only did Jesus prove His authority over life and death, He demonstrated love's absolute power by disarming the rulers and authorities and putting them to open shame by showing the power of true love. Love keeps no record of wrongs, and through the blood He shed for us, we can be forgiven and redeemed of our sins, freed from the fear of death, and made perfect in Christ through a real, personal relationship with Him. In God's kingdom, you are not just another person in the conglomerate of humanity. He calls you by name.

Accepting God's love gives us...

...forgiveness, a fresh start, and the power to forgive, bless our persecutors, and turn the other cheek.

...perfect love with our Creator who is unfailing, unchanging, and cannot lie, in which we learn how to love and be loved in return.

...peace that surpasses all understanding.

...purpose and a family built on love.

...shelter, rest, and protection from evil.

...salvation and victory over death to all who come to Him in humility and receive Him in love.

Love is
Action

Love is a continual choice from both parties.

God wants a relationship with everyone simply because He has made each of us unique in His image, with individual interests, abilities, and personalities but it is up to us to reciprocate that love. The free will God has given us means we can live a life based on love and respect for Him, or one that is motivated by our own selfishness and unrighteous desires.

God already knows everything about you– your heart, your doubts, your fears, your sins, and the trials you have faced. Jesus has already won us the victory over sin and death, and He is ready to heal everyone who will come to Him, with love. But true love is also a commitment, and one that is requires honesty and humility. True love means walking away from sin and and looking to Jesus Christ, the only person who can show us what true love really means. Through Jesus, God has given us the opportunity to come to Him personally instead of running from our guilt and shame which leads to eternal death.

God's grace and love is freely given and it is not something that can be bought or earned. In God's Kingdom, love and life is eternal, and it is yours if you want to receive it.

Receive God's Love

Prayer is how we communicate with God, either by speaking out loud or silently. Sincerity and humility is important in order to confess our sins and renounce them. If you would like to turn to Jesus now, you can try praying something like this to get started.

Dear Father in Heaven,

I'm tired of seeking love in all the wrong places. I want to know Your love, and I want to find my hope and peace in You because I believe in Your goodness.

I believe Jesus died on the cross for my sins and rose again to life so I can be reconciled to You.

I'm sorry for hurting You and others, and I ask for Your forgiveness and mercy. My life is in Your hands, and I commit my life to You from this point forward. Make me new and cleanse me from all unrighteousness.

Please help me with my faith, and help me to live a life that honours You. Thank You so much for Your amazing love and grace.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen

1 Corinthians 13 (ESV)

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails.

But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.

But the greatest of these is love.