Love: Is it a feeling or just a choice? or ist it more than that even?


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 have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, 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. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
1 Corinthians 13:2-8

I hear the common definition of love from people all the time that love is not a feeling it is a choice. Where I agree with that to a certain degree I don't agree that Love in and of itself is a choice. I would say it is more of an effect of a choice. I have noticed that there is another emotion that goes hand in hand with love. Something that you have first before you can truly love something or someone. Sometimes it comes naturally and sometimes you must make the decision to. I am talking about finding joy. Think about the things you "love" and what feeling are you overwhelmed with? For me a feeling of enjoyment a delight in that person, object, food or circumstance. When we enjoy, we love. I enjoy double creamy chocolate cake drizzled in chocolate syrup with whipped cream all around it and I in turn say "I Love it!". The same with my husband, when I am enjoying his presence I love him but when I choose not to enjoy his presence I don't feel the love and this goes for everyone that surrounds me. The same goes for my kiddos, my mil, my grandma, and my friends. Maybe this is why it feels like love comes and goes, but it does not come and go it is your joy that does that is, if you let it. Joy, in some cases, is a choice. You can hold on tight to your joy or you can have a half opened grip on it letting it slip in and out ever so often. Sometimes though we don't have to hold on so tight because it comes naturally and uncontrollably. Like chocolate for me. I didn't choose to like it I just do. I can't remember ever not liking it. But there are somethings and some people that you must decide find joy in so you can love them. We all have people in our lives that we enjoy being around without any effort on our part but then we all have those other people that drain us because we have to search and try to find enjoyment in them. And even though it is hard it is not impossible. For nothing is impossible with who? Christ!!!

"Happiness depends on happenings; joy depends on Christ." Anonymous

Joy depends on Christ! It might be hard but if you have Christ it will be easier. There will be times when it feels down right impossible but that is a lie don't fall for it for it is not and never will be with Christ. You can have it, joy, in the times and in people that you don't naturally love because of Christ. Does Christ dwell in you? Then, if he does, you will beable to find joy in any situation.

Joy and Love are one. Do you love the Lord? Can you say I have no joy in Him but I love Him all the same. No, if you say you love the Lord then you must have joy in Him. You can not have one without the other. In our relationship with God I do not think we choose to find joy in Him I think it is an overwhelming feeling that is given by His overpowering majesty and glory. Let me point something out though that was just revealed to me by His word. His love comes first to us so that we might have joy.

Listen to this and be filled with Joy.

Psalm 90:14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

Did you hear that!? God so amazingly bestows on us his power of love which overflows in us and our soul is filled with joy. We have joy in the Lord because he first loved us. He first loved us, He first found joy in us. If you don't feel that joy right now read this with a broken heart ready and willing to let joy seep in and consume you.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

John 3:16-17

Jesus Christ, perished so that you and me could have eternal life. Did you get that, eternal life, not condemnation but salvation through Him! Praise be to our God and Father. Today and everyday, let us turn our eyes to the cross, to the sacrafice, when we feel no joy and be filled, consumed , overpowered by the joy that comes from God's love for us. And remember those people that are hard to find joy in? Remind yourself of God's love, and the joy you have in Christ and share that glory with them. Reveal to them Christ that dwells in you.

So is love a feeling or a choice. I would say it is a direct feeling from a conciouse decision to find joy. Love is Joys shadow, it follows it everywhere. When you find joy you will see it's shadow of love right behind it. Find it.

Be blessed and filled.