Divine love is more than just a fleeting emotional feeling or romantic inclination. It's a deep, abiding commitment rooted in Divine character, emphasizing action, sacrifice, and loyalty.
Spiritual Love is unconditional; this selfless, sacrificial love is given freely without expecting anything in return.
It's reflected in God's love for humanity. It describes a deep affection and bond between friends or fellow spiritual believers, characterized by mutual respect, shared devotion, and common values. Characteristics of Spiritual love include patience and kindness, enduring difficulties with grace and seeks the well-being of others. It is humble because it seeks to focus on the Divine. It celebrates the successes of others without seeking its own glory. It acts appropriately and considers the needs and interests of others the same, or ahead of its own. It is not easily angered and doesn't keep score, but rather forgives and lets go of resentment.
Spiritual love seeks and delights in what is right and just, and it perseveres through trials and challenges. It is not passive; it calls for action in daily lives. People are to love the divine with all their heart, soul, and might, and love their neighbor as themselves. Note that this requires a love of self in order to love your neighbor. This translates into practical acts of kindness, compassion, forgiveness, and serving others, even those who may oppose them.
Spiritual love meets needs and does not force itself upon others for self-glorification.
Key Takeaways:
- Divine Love is more than an emotional feeling. It is more than just a romantic inclination. It is a deep abiding commitment rooted in Divine character and emphasizing action, loyalty, and/or sacrifice.
- It is unconditional, given freely because it is needed not because it is an exchange.
- Characteristics of Spiritual Love include patience, kindness, enduring of difficulties with grace and seeking the well-being of others without seeking its own glory.
- It doesn’t keep score of wrongs, but rather it tallies the fullness, or sparseness of divine love that resides with an individual.
- It forgives (no longer remembers the offense, or when it does remember it immediately lets go of it again, and again….)
- It delights and seeks justice and righteousness.
- Spiritual Love must include yourself so that you may love others with practical acts of kindness, compassion, forgiveness and service; even those who oppose you.
END
Beginning of series: Faith