Is "Committing to Love" The Same as Marriage?
Have you considered how your beliefs and ideas about committing to love have shaped your ability to embrace God's instruction to love one another, even our enemies, according to His will? Could this invite more room for each person to grow in peaceful, Godly unity with each other? Could it allow for individual harmony between God's purpose and self-purpose, particularly in relationships and marriage?
The Cultural Tendency: The Misunderstanding of Love and Commitment
Culturally, there’s a tendency to equate the act of committing to love with marriage. Many people think that when someone is ready to commit to love, it automatically means they should get married, express a desire to wed or create a sense of attachment.
But if you look at the phrase “commitment to love” more closely, there’s a deeper meaning that is more relaxed in nature. It’s a reminder of God’s call to love everyone, charitably—as a friendly brother or sister. It's a call to companionship to give to the emotional needs of one another; the kind that honors God’s instruction to love all people, not just in the capacity or manner that is sacred for a spousal relationship.
In this sense, a commitment to love isn’t limited to marriage and has no similarity to it. Instead, the marriage is to God's foundational principle of love; building a daily discipline rooted in sharing God’s love and focusing on God’s love in our lives more than anything else.
The Pitfall of Skipping to Marriage
Skipping straight to marriage can sometimes cloud our understanding of the many forms of love that God brings into our lives. This can lead us into the wrong unions or confuse our boundaries in relationships. We may rush to “commit” without truly understanding how to love in all its forms—family love, friendship, and even the love we are called to show to strangers and enemies.
A commitment to God’s instruction to love everyone creates space for Him to bring true love abundantly into our lives, just as He plans and purposes it. There is room in our hearts and lives for all the love God has for us.
Opening our eyes and hearts to God's command to commit to love in every aspect of our lives prepares us to walk confidently with God in a more sacred unity and love with the spouse He has purposed for each of us, respectively.
Committing to Love: The Life Path of Peace and Abundance
Committing to love is God’s life path of peace and abundance. Here's what happens when you make it your purpose:
God’s Liberation from Worry and Strife
You experience God's liberation from worry and strife.
Abundance and Joy
You see abundance in your life, and joy in your countenance and spirit.
Confidence in God Alone
You see why your confidence is in God, only.
Receptiveness to the Holy Spirit
You become receptive to the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
What are some ways you can commit yourself to loving God today?
What are some things you can do today to commit yourself to love in the relationship connections God has given you according to His purpose for them?
What does God's call to love look like in your daily life?