Do You Really Love him? Do You Know What Love Is?

The human soul has been created and designed to long for more and more of God. We have God-sized voids that we try to fill with everything but Him—only to feel even more empty. The Scriptures reveal how meaningless life is without Him:

“What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise You? Will it proclaim Your faithfulness?” (Psalm 30:9)

God calls us into fellowship with Him, to seek Him with all our hearts, and to never be satisfied apart from Him. Even as I sit writing this, I reflect on the seasons of my life, recognizing how much I truly desire to walk with Him. There’s a deep longing in my soul—almost like homesickness—for a place I have yet to see. My life means nothing without Him. And the same is true for you.

God created us not only to love Him but to love one another in genuine fellowship. Yet, in this world, we easily lose sight of that. We allow distractions, bitterness, and selfishness to pull us away from the greatest commandment:

“We love because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

Do We Really Know What Love Is?

Many of us assume we know what love is. The world is full of movies, books, and songs that attempt to define love—some paint it as passion, others as sacrifice, and some as mere emotion.

Think about all the love songs that have shaped culture over the years: “Endless Love” by Lionel Richie & Diana Ross, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston. “All of Me” by John Legend, “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran, “I Want to Know What Love Is” by Foreigner, “The Power of Love” by Celine Dion, “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” by Stevie Wonder.

These songs capture emotions, devotion, and longing—but none of them fully define what love truly is.

Here’s the truth: No one can truly understand love until they have experienced God’s love.

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.” (1 John 3:16)

The love we see in the world is often temporary, conditional, or self-seeking, but God’s love is eternal, unwavering, and selfless. His love is not based on our performance but on His character.

Do You Really Love Him?

This brings me to a serious question:

Do you really love God?

I’m not asking if you say you love Him. Do you love Him in your actions?

Jesus said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35)

So let’s pause for moment and truly reflect. I want you to read these questions and sit with them for a few moments and in honesty answer:

• Is your love the way God wants it to be?

• Are you loving beyond faults, beyond

disagreements, beyond misunderstandings?

• Do you show the love of Christ to those who hurt you?

• Do you love your children enough to correct and discipline them?

• Do you love yourself enough to receive correction from God?

The Bible defines love in different ways, each with its own meaning and purpose:

The Four Types of Love in the Bible

1. Agape (ἀγάπη) – God’s Unconditional Love

• This is the highest form of love, characterized by selflessness, sacrifice, and divine commitment.

• Example: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

2. Philia (φιλία) – Brotherly Love

• This refers to deep friendship, loyalty, and mutual affection between people.

• “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)

3. Storge (στοργή) – Family Love

• This is the natural love and affection between family members, such as parents and children or siblings.

• “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” (Romans 12:10)

4. Eros (ἔρως) – Romantic Love

• This is passionate or romantic love, often associated with marriage. While the term itself is not used in the Bible, its concept is present in books like Song of Solomon.

• “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.” (Song of Solomon 6:3)

Each of these forms of love reflects different aspects of relationships, but the greatest of them is agape—the unconditional, sacrificial love of God.

Where Is God Challenging You to Grow?

So, how do we love God with all our hearts?

We cannot do it on our own. We need the Holy Spirit to transform us, to rid us of selfishness, pride, and distractions, and to teach us how to truly love Him and others.

Today, ask yourself:

• Is my love genuine and sacrificial like Christ’s?

• Have I allowed the world’s distractions to steal my focus from my first love—God?

• What areas of my life need God’s refining fire so I can love better?

Let’s seek Him, love Him fully, and love others with the same mercy He has shown us.

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)

Let’s pray:

“Father, help me to understand the depth of Your love. Teach me to love You not just with my words, but with my life. Fill me with Your Spirit so I can love others as You have loved me. Show me where I need to grow in love, and give me the strength to obey. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

The only way to love others rightly is to first receive the love of God and allow His love to transform us.

May we love well and love deeply, just as our Father loves us.

From A Daughter’s Broken Heart,

💔 Shae’