I Love Jesus, But I'm Not In Love With Him

I Love Jesus, But I'm Not In Love With Him

It's just creepy.
Sarah Fields
Sarah Fields Nov 21, 2017
68
views

For the most part, I love Christian music. I love the fun worship songs and the intimate, personal songs that really personify everything it means to be a Christian. However, there are some aspects of modern Christian music--and modern Christian thought--that both confuse me and make me cringe at the thought of them. The great aspect that I could never be on board with is being ~in love~ with God and Jesus. I actually have several reasons for that.

First, there is a clear difference between "to be in love with " someone and "to have love for " someone. "To have love for " someone is to show many kinds of love, including ludus (playful ) love, storge (familiar love), philia (affectionate love), and pragma (enduring love). "To be in love with" someone is a type of love that is mainly being romantic or sexual in nature, including eros and sometimes ludus as well. I would never have romantic or sexual love or desire for the one who essentially saved me. Phrases like, "Jesus is my boyfriend" make me cringe because we shouldn't see our Lord and Savior as just a companion to love. Jesus is far more than that. He's the redeemer of our souls. Doesn't he deserve more respect than to be labeled as "boyfriend"?

There's a whole different type of love called agape, or selfless love. That is the kind of love that God has for us as his children, that Jesus had for the church and the kind of love that we should have for each other as children of God that we sometimes don't. In my opinion, that is the kind of love that we should have for God and Jesus, and we should not let that love be clouded by desire or desperation for them. It's not really becoming of anyone to have such a deep desperation for anyone, much less for someone who ought to be feared, revered, and worshiped.

I don't care who you are or what kind of Christian you think you are. There's a clear difference in the kind of love with should have for God and Jesus Christ. It is my belief that the reason we have phrases like "Jesus should be the only man in your life" and "Jesus is my boyfriend" is because the modern church wants to pander to the millennial generation and younger, which is problematic because it is not how you should be referring to Jesus or God.

Jesus did not die for your sins so you could call him your boyfriend in an effort to try and gain some higher moral ground. Jesus is not the only man you should have in your life. We were built to have companions from both males and females.

Jesus literally died to save our souls. Act like it.

Cover Image Credit: Pexels
Sarah Fields
Sarah Fields Nov 21, 2017
At Murray State University
At Murray State University

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12 Bible Verses For Faith In Hard Times

Remind yourself that God is always with you.
Veronica Jennings
Veronica Jennings Sep 10, 2017
702465
views

Lately, I have felt lost at what God wants for my life. Ever since I've come back to UWG everything has been horrible. It seems that I can't catch a break. I'm trying my best to focus on school, work, and extracurricular activities. But it's hard when I'm having issues with my apartment/roommates and knowing my family back home is struggling and needs many prayers. All, I keep thinking is maybe Carrollton isn't where I belong anymore. I've asked God if He can guide me in the right direction. Below, I have found Bible verses that have helped get me through these rough, past couple of weeks.

1. Isaiah 43:2

"When you go through deep waters, I will be with you."

2. Psalm 37:5

"Commit your way to the Lord. Trust in Him, and He will act."

3. Romans 8:18

"The pain that you've been feeling, can't compare to the joy that's coming."

4. Proverbs 31:25

"She is clothed in strength, and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future."

5. Joshua 1:9

"Be bold. Be brave. Be courageous."

6. Ecclesiastes 3:1

"There is a time for everything and a reason for every activity under the heavens."

7. Isaiah 41:10

"Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand."

8. Isaiah 66:9

"I will not cause pain without allowing something new to be born, says the Lord."

9. Psalm 91:4

"He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings, you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart."

10. Psalm 62:1-2

"My soul finds rest in God alone, my salvation comes from Him, He alone is my rock and my salvation."

11. Philippians 4:13

"I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength."

12. Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Cover Image Credit: pixabay.com
Veronica Jennings
Veronica Jennings Sep 10, 2017
At University of West Georgia

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Don't Let Your Trust Issues Prevent You From Trusting God

God is trying to tell you that if you let the people of this world tear down your walls and break your chains when they disappoint you it will only cause that wall to get bigger and those chains to get stronger.

celinaleggiere
celinaleggiere Sep 19, 2018
189
views

I have trust issues. Yes, I admit it. I'll scream it at the top of my lungs on top of the highest mountain and proclaim it to the world. This flaw that consumes my life and affects just about all my relationships, friendships and my own relationship with my family has instilled in me a fear that continues to chase after me. This fear runs after me a little faster every time someone new comes into my life. This fear has manipulated my way of thinking that everyone that I get close to is going to hurt me. This fear has consumed me like a wildfire and has slowly built this wall that I don't let anyone tear down, not even God himself.

I recently, if you have read my previous articles, went through a terrible heartbreak. This served as the last straw of trust for me. It took everything in me to trust that person and let that person break down the wall that I had. Just when I felt freed from the bondage I was in and all my trust issues vanished, that person proved themselves to be just like everyone before him.

There was only one thing to do now, rebuild.

Rebuild that wall that I had up before. Starting from scratch, but this time bigger than it was before. Every day for those few months I worked on that wall. Building it by, not allowing myself to form real relationships with the people that surrounded me. Running away as soon as I saw a real connection forming with someone because the only thing I saw at that moment was that fear I mentioned starting to chase after me again.

But God stopped me one day when I was hard at work building this wall. He stopped me in my building and said: "hand over that brick you are about to lay." Naturally, I let my trust issues affect me at that moment and I struggled to hand it over to Him because I almost felt like I didn't even trust God himself anymore.

God knew this. God knew that I didn't trust him and he knew why. He saw all my hurt and heartbreak and he knew that it was going to take a lot more than just a demand for me to hand over the bricks I was lying to build this wall.

I watched that as I began to lay bricks and build God began to take one away after every one I laid. This caused me to build faster and almost try and "outdo" God.

But, just as I started to see that God could tear down my wall just as fast as I could build it. I saw I wasn't making any progress and I surrendered.

There is where he finally had my attention. There is where he let me know that I had to wrong idea of him and reminded me of everything he promises me. And if you are in this situation right now struggling with trusting that new guy that has come into your life, or that new friend, or maybe a family member you thought you could tell everything to there are a few things God wants you to know:

"Stop letting people of this world tear down your walls let me do it." — God

If you reference back earlier in this article you will read in bold how I let someone of this world tear down my wall that I had built due to trust issues. God reassured me that people of this world, your boyfriend/girlfriend, your family, your friends may be there for you now and it may seem fine and dandy when they help that wall come down but, what happens when they disappoint you in some way? You begin to rebuild that wall.

God is trying to tell you that if you let the people of this world tear down your walls and break your chains when they disappoint you it will only cause that wall to get bigger and those chains to get stronger.

God wants you to know that he says:

"Do not be afraid. The Lord your God goes with you and he will never leave you nor forsake you" — Deuteronomy 31:6

Reading that, just know that God is telling you that the fear that is engraved in your heart he says DO NOT be afraid of it because HE IS WITH YOU. God is telling you, right here and right now that HE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU and HE WILL NEVER FORSAKE YOU. Meaning, that people will leave, forsake and disappoint you ultimately causing you to build that wall higher every time.

But, God will never be the reason your wall goes up he will be the PERMANENT reason it comes down.

"If you have faith you will trust me even when you don't understand or want too." — God

God wants you to know that trusting him will single-handedly be the best decision you've ever made. He promises you that:

When you can't see, he will lead you. When you can't hear he will show you. When you can't stand he will carry you. When you are lost he will always find you. When you are weak he is mighty. He will be everything you need but the catch is, you have to trust him first before he can do any of these things for you.

There are times where I am trusting in God but I am completely clueless as to what he is doing. Those are the times I talk to him and I tell him "I don't have any idea how this is gonna work but I know that you are working in my waiting. I know that you will prove that your plan was always better."

Trusting God is one of the scariest things you will ever do. Why? Well, sometimes when you are trusting God and waiting for him to show up he is silent. He doesn't keep you informed on the latest plan he just does it out of nowhere. Sometimes he isn't silent and tells you that you need to do something and maybe it's something that stretches your comfort zone but he promises that his ways and his plans are always better for our lives than our own are.

"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine." — Isaiah 55:8

Do you realize that the only things God has ever asked you to do are to love him and… Trust him?

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart" — Proverbs 3:5
The man answered, "'You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.' And, 'Love your neighbor as yourself." — Luke 10:27
celinaleggiere
celinaleggiere Sep 19, 2018
At Tuscaloosa, AL

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