CAN PEOPLE BE IN LOVE FOREVER?

Yes people can be in love forever. Being in love is meant to last forever. That is why people always use this phrase: ‘I will always love you’. Everybody wants to be in love forever. This is why people with commitment phobias don’t want to be in love. They don’t want to commit to one person forever. But what is wrong with committing to one person forever? You make better plans the two of you and keep building on your goals other than changing partners all the time, then you have to start afresh again and probably start new goals before you even finished the ones you had with the previous partner.

Also if you are just the two of you it’s easier to raise a family. It’s also easier for the kids. Starting one family then changing to the next and so on makes it hard for the kids.

Kids need to be brought up in a nice orderly environment. And it also means that the kids will have to keep changing mums and dads. One minute they are calling this person mum/dad, the next minute she/he’s gone and they are calling someone else mum/dad.

That is why relationships that are self-centered never last. If all you think about is yourself and your well being, then being in love isn’t for you. When you are in love with someone, their well being is equally as important as yours. Their happiness is equally as important as yours. Their security is equally as important as yours. Their support is equally as important as yours.

Being in love takes commitment. Without commitment, the love fades away. You just can’t sit back and say, ‘am in love’. You have to do something special for your partner and keep doing it. Simple romantic gestures such as filling the bathtub with nice herbal bubbly warm water, with candles all around, nice romantic music playing in the background, chocolates on the side of the bathtub and a warm towel. Then letting your partner go in the bathtub alone and enjoy it in private without you disturbing her or rushing to jump in with her. Give her some nice alone time to enjoy herself and feel appreciated. Afterwards when she’s through with the bathtub, she will reward you highly. Such things sustain the relationship and make being in love much more exciting.

Being in love is not just a feeling. It’s an act. Don’t just feel good about it, do something good about it. Being in love is a wonderful thing. Keep it wonderful by being wonderful to each other and the people around you.

4 TYPES OF LOVE

There is much confusion today on the subject of love because we are limited to only one English word (love) with a broad range of meanings. For example, if I said, "I love my wife, I love my dog, I love apple pie," obviously I am not talking about love in the same degree or definition.

In the New Testament period there were four major Greek words that were used.

Eros Love - A word that was not actually used in the New Testament but was alluded to. It meant physical passion; its gratification and fulfillment. The Greek word is probably not used in the New Testament because the origin of the word came from the mythical god Eros, the god of love. It is inferred in many scriptures and is the only kind of love that God restricts to a one-man, one-woman relationship within the bounds of marriage.

Storge Love - Storge is the natural bond between mother and infant, father, children, and kin. William Barclay states, "We cannot help loving our kith and kin; blood is thicker than water"

Phileo Love - Phileo love is a love of the affections. It is delighting to be in the presence of another, a warm feeling that comes and goes with intensity. The Bible encourages it but it is never a direct command. God never commands phileo since this type of love is based on the feelings. God Himself did not phileo the world but rather operated in agape love towards us. I cannot have a warm tender feeling toward an enemy but I can agape love them.

Agape Love - Agape love is God's kind of love. It is seeking the welfare and betterment of another regardless of how we feel. Agape does not have the primary meaning of feelings or affection. Jesus displayed it when he went to the cross and died for you and me regardless of how He felt.

In the gospels Jesus prayed, "Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt". Jesus sought the betterment of you and me, regardless of His feelings.

Matthew 7:12 states it this way, "So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets"

We can agape our enemies regardless of how we feel. If they are hungry, we can feed them; if they thirst we can give them a drink.

We can choose to seek the betterment and welfare of others regardless of how we feel.

Jesus was the greatest expression of love that ever came into the world, but it is never recorded that he ever said the words, "I love you!" Why?

Because 95 percent of all love is non-verbal.

Jesus did not love with just words but in deed and truth (1 Jn. 3:18).

If your actions contradict your words, what are people going to believe, your words or your actions? Your actions of course.

Vine's Expository Dictionary states, "Love can be known only from the actions it prompts" (p. 21).