force of love

Love is a word that we use so freely. In fact, I am not sure that many people really know what love means. It is not a cliché or simply an emotion. Love is a powerful expression of the heart. As we get ready to celebrate Valentine’s Day, I encourage you not to get sucked into the commercialization of the day, but I want you to understand that love is a daily decision of the heart. My journey has taught me a lot about love.

1. You were created to love. Life can send us so many hurdles. We encounter so many situations that we cannot even explain. If we are not careful these experiences can make us bitter. The danger in becoming bitter is that it hardens our hearts. When your heart becomes hardened then you give hatred access to your life. Every time I find myself in painful situations I remind myself that I was created to love. When you understand this simple truth you will live with an open heart. You will never discover true love without an open heart.

2. We all need love. In the era of self-love and self-discovery, I have never seen so many people that believe that they do not need love. Adversity often stifles our ability to love. I know what this feels like. I have gone through seasons of pain where I did not know if I would have the courage to love again. I allowed inflicted wounds to isolate me in walls. I thought living behind the walls would bring me safety and satisfaction. What I learned is that I was miserable. We were created for relationships. I’m not just talking about romantic relationships but meaningful relationships. No matter how strong you think you are you need someone to stand with you and support you in the various seasons of your life. Everybody needs somebody. We need more love in the world. It is one of the things that’s missing.

3. Love will check your ego. It is easy to become self-interested and self-absorbed. However, the thing about love is that it will check your ego and challenge you to be more empathetic. Love reminds us that it is not always about us. Love is willing to sacrifice. Unconditional love is willing to give freely for the greater good. When you see selfishness rise up in your life I challenge you to love. In fact, for the next 30 days I want to do a Love Dare. I want you to purpose to love every day. Also, I want you to challenge yourself to express love to someone you come in contact with for thirty days. It could be as simple as a smile, a hug, a shoulder to cry on or even an encouraging word. You will be amazed at the impact of adding more love into your life.

4. Love is a force for change. As I have the pleasure of serving on multiple councils and providing solutions to world issues, the greatest solution to humanity’s problems is love. Love is the only force that can break down walls of hatred and bigotry and unite the world in a profound way. Love is the healing agent that transforms the world. Unleash the power of love!