Learning to Love

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pohickgeezer

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Jesus Christ has shown us love and wants us to emulate Him. Is willing to love sufficient, or need we feel love? How can we learn to reach that level of loving that God wants us to achieve? I find it difficult to feel love for someone I do not know, for someone I dislike. I fear God and want to be happy with him in heaven, but how do I learn to feel love for God?
 
Love is not a feeling, it’s an action. Love is what you do for others, how you treat them. The way we reach the level God wants us to achieve is one step at a time, after a while it gets easier. He certainly doesnt’ expect us to be perfect all at once, and we won’t be perfect this side of heaven. God only expects us to try our best, and keep trying even when we fail. The easiest way to love someone you don’t like very much is to tell yourself “this is Jesus, right here in this person”. Jesus said ‘Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ (Matt.25:40)
 
seagal said:
Love is not a feeling, it’s an action. Love is what you do for others, how you treat them. The way we reach the level God wants us to achieve is one step at a time, after a while it gets easier. He certainly doesnt’ expect us to be perfect all at once, and we won’t be perfect this side of heaven. God only expects us to try our best, and keep trying even when we fail. The easiest way to love someone you don’t like very much is to tell yourself “this is Jesus, right here in this person”. Jesus said ‘Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ (Matt.25:40)
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I agree with most of what you posted. However, I can’t quite agree that Love is not a feeling. I haave a real and physical reaction in terms of God loving me and working in my life. I have a true physical reaction in terms of how I love my wife and children and all the members of my family. That feeling of Love does motivate me to take certain actions. Now, I agree it is difficult to “feel” love for people that I am angry with or resent. In those situations, yes, I think we must take actions that demonstrate love even if we don’t “feel the love”. The thing to remember is that anger and resentment are doorways for evil to enter into our life. We can block the doorway by actions of love.
 
Okay. The feelings you have about family, do you also have them toward God? If so, do you know how you came about those feelings? If not, is getting that same feeling a desire of yours? How do you think you are going to get there? Do you think that saints like Mother Theresa achieved those feelings toward people they did not know?
 
pohickgeezer said:
Jesus Christ has shown us love and wants us to emulate Him. Is willing to love sufficient, or need we feel love? How can we learn to reach that level of loving that God wants us to achieve? I find it difficult to feel love for someone I do not know, for someone I dislike. I fear God and want to be happy with him in heaven, but how do I learn to feel love for God?
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Dear pohickgeezer,

To “Feel Love for God?” The best example I have is when you see or meat someone and really want to be their friend how do you go about establishing a friendship with them? You talk to them. You get to know them. It may not be a feeling of love at first but after you get to know them you realize they are the friend of your dreams. Always loving you with all of your quirks. Never condemning you but always offering a listening ear and offering you ways to make yourself a better you. Trust Him like the best friend you wish you always had.

As for having love for other people the best way I found was to put myself in their shoes.

Hope this helps and will keep you in my prayers,
 
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