Define: Love

I wrote a blog back in 2009 with the same title but really this is not related at all.

1 John 4 NIV

⁷ Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹ This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰ This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹² No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

Sometime we ask the question how can God let such and such happen if God is Love.

If you believe in the truth of the scriptures you find above that you are required to believe that the definition of Love is GOD.

So why do we think God doesn't love in certain situation? I can think of only two ways.

1.Our definition of love doesn't match Gods. (which I am certain most times it does not)

2. We don't see it from Gods perspective or you could say don't have all the information (which I am certain at all times we do not)

So what do we do about it. I believe God intends that we wrestle with Him and ourselves about it so that we can correct our errors and believe the truth.

So what are some hits about how to do that. 

God see the big picture and is a focused vet that has your eternal life in mind. He would not sacrifice your long term eternal life for some short term enjoyment.

Romans 8 (NIV)
¹⁸ I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.  

Jeremiah 17:10 (NIV) 

¹⁰ “I the Lord search the heart

    and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct,
    according to what their deeds deserve.”

Evil Heart

Jeremiah 17:9 New International Version (NIV)
⁹ The heart is deceitful above all things
         and beyond cure.
   Who can understand it?

Matthew 15:19 New International Version (NIV)

19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.

Whether it is the bible, C.S. Lewis or other books God seems to be telling me that humans at their core are not rational. 

I am reading a book called "Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It by Chris Voss" It it he says that humans are irrational at the core. He says that we make most of our thoughts from a fast instinctive and emotional point and then we make a rational argument for our thoughts. You see the key instinct first and they we rationalize it in our head.

Ezekiel 36:26 New International Version (NIV)
²⁶ I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

Philippians 1:6 New International Version (NIV)

⁶ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Proverbs 4:23 New International Version (NIV)
²³ Above all else, guard your heart,
    for everything you do flows from it.

God help us to let you change our hearts
God help us give up our hearts of stone and change them to a heart of flesh
God help us to give up our rationalization of evil
God speak your truth to us
God help us to speak to the hearts of others
God help us to listen to you
God help us to trust you