Friends or Lovers?

This chapter of Glee shows Mercedes singing "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston. The story between Sam and her reminds me of how it feels like to let go of the person you love and let him/her find their true happiness. It is so heart wrenching. T_T

“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. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” —I Corinthians 13:4-8a (NIV)

This verse describes the characteristics of true love and it can be found in Jesus Christ himself and in all truly loving relationships.
The problem with trying to "find" love in our dating lives, is that very often we do not look for these characteristics. We always look at physical appearance, popularity or wealth. These are not the qualities that God looks at and we should not too. But it is often very hard not to, isn't it?

You know you truly love someone, when the goodness you see in him/her exceeds all their flaws and when you fully embrace them for who they are, for who God made them to be. 

But the LORD said to Samuel, “…The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
—I Samuel 16:7b (NIV)

Love is best seen as devotion and action, not an emotion. Love is not exclusively based on how we feel. Certainly our emotions are involved, but they cannot be our only criteria for love. True devotion will always lead to action—true love.

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with ACTIONS and in truth.

— I John 3:18 (NIV)

Christ was devoted to us enough to give his own life for us (Romans 5:8), even when he didn't feel like it (Matthew 26:39).

Sex is not love! Our culture has taught us that sex and love are one in the same. This is a lie. Sex is a beautiful God-given activity that is wonderful when practiced within the boundaries of a Biblical marriage. Sex is the completion of the binding of two people within Biblical marriage; it is a God-given gift.

We need to understand each other and must always remember that nobody is perfect.

Be together, share your joy and sorrow, understand each other, provide space to each other, but always be there for each other's need. And surely love will blossom to strengthen your relationship with your matter of affection.