C.Ryenne Thoughts

Something that I have been learning an awful lot about lately is true love. Over the past month or so, God has really been pressing this definition of what it truly means to love someone on my heart. I do not have it all figured out but this is what I have learned so far:

Jesus. Jesus is true love.

He is the definition of true love and what all love should be based on.

He set the basis for love through how he treated people and the suffering he went through. He died on the cross as an action of love.

Love is not just a feeling; love is an ACTION. True love is shown through the actions of others. If someone says they love you but they do not show it through their actions, then they do not truly love you as Jesus loved his people.

It is not enough to build a relationship in the feeling of liking someone.

The way a successful relationship is built is through Jesus Christ. A relationship can be successful when he is at the center of it all and it is evident in the actions of both sides. The only way to reach this kind of love is to truly realize your worth through the eyes of Jesus. Notice that I said through the eyes of Jesus, not through the eyes of another human being.

Jesus sees you as a daughter: a daughter that was made uniquely in his image and made exactly how he wanted you to be.

Jesus sees you as a son: a son that was made uniquely in his image and made exactly how he wanted you to be.

You were made with all of the qualities, the gifts, the physical attributes, and the weird, unlikely personality traits that you are meant to have. He has a purpose for all of those things: a purpose for you. He would not have made you if he did not have great things planned for you, because he has made great plans for every single person. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Realizing how much Jesus loves you and loving yourself in the process is the only way that the foundation of a God-centered relationship can be built. He says to love others as you love yourself, so how are you going to truly love others well if you do not know how to love yourself well.

True love is not a process to be rushed. It takes us a whole life time to recognize God’s love and we still cannot fully comprehend it. Just because it is not happening on your timeline, does not mean it will not happen. God’s timing is perfect. He will place that person in your life when it is the right time to start getting to know them and building a foundation; a foundation that leads to a love resembling Christ’s love for you.

Take your time.

Focus on getting to know Jesus and how much he loves you.

“‘Love the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:37-39

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6-7

– C. Ryenne