Devotional—The Struggle of Sanctification—Our Quest for Love
“Then the LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.'” Genesis 2:18
From a loving God who created us in His image, we were given the ability to love. The central theme of the Bible is love which is demonstrated throughout the Old and New Testaments. God loves us unconditionally. Sadly, our love for God is inconsistent. Humanity is the only created being [except Satan and his angels] to follow our heart’s desires and boldly disobey the Creator God.
Our Creator God is aware that we need love. In Jeremiah 31:3, God validates His position of love for humanity. “…I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”
The need for love is the one concept that unbelievers and believers agree on. “All of us have an intense desire to be loved and nurtured. The need to be loved…could be considered one of our most basic and fundamental needs.” https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sapient-nature/201401/the-need-love
As believers, we do not agree with the unbeliever’s mindset on whom we love first and the pursuit of love.
Jesus tells us who we are to love first: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5). Jesus also emphasized that loving God requires the surrender of our entire being. Still, we need the intervention of the Holy Spirit to give us daily guidance and the strength to overcome temptation. Prayer ensures that our decisions reflect a love for God, especially when we are fighting carnal desires.
Our quest for love often leads us into temptation, placing us in spiritual jeopardy. Satan is also aware of our need for love. He sends people who appear to love God but have hidden ungodly traits and habits. “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9
Because God is all-knowing [Omniscient], His love includes protection against spiritual, emotional, and physical harm from evil. Unfortunately, our emotions override the Holy Spirit’s warnings. Pray for spiritual discernment before you become involved in any relationships—friends or romantic. God knows the true nature of every heart. Remembering that our insight is limited, we acquiesce to His perfect ways and rely on God to give us loving relationships.
Do not trust your emotions! Love, at first sight, is based on external factors. Love is often confused with infatuation. Feeling good about a person based on appearances or spoken words can lead to deception. Pray for guidance! “… the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7, last part).
Yes, God said it was not good for us to be alone. And we do not like being alone. God created the institutions of the family and marriage. And, Jesus had friends. Remember, His divinity gave Him spiritual insight in every situation. Do not allow yourself to feel desperate! At times, we will live in solitude which is designed to give us spiritual growth.
God’s divine plan and purpose for our lives usually do not align with our desires. He is concerned about our righteousness—right living. Read Jeremiah 29:11. Pray and ask God to reveal His plans for your life.
Our quest for love should always lead us into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. The love that we receive from God is preparing us for eternal life. With surrender, the Holy Spirit changes our characters, and we are molded into the likeness of Christ. The Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) is evidence of our spiritual growth and development. Every day, God rains down His love on the hearts open to receive His abundant blessings.
“Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'” (Matthew 22:37-39)
God is more interested in the love that allows us to form a relationship with His Son, Jesus. Our love is demonstrated by our faith, trust, obedience, and loyalty to God. Always let your quest for love be for God first!
Prayer: God, we surrender our hearts, souls, and minds to love You from now throughout eternity. Thank you for Divine guidance and protection. We love You. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
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