Emotional vs. Spiritual Love

I never would have thought that Green Day and Dietrich Bonhoeffer would work together but I find the mix a pleasing one.

I'm thinking about how he talks about the difference between emotional and spiritual love. emotional love is very selfish and similar to how Saint Paul talks about the flesh in 1 Corinthians. We feel justified in our actions and feelings and never look any deeper for the motivation behind what we do. So often, we label things "in the name of love" and Bonhoeffer creates the premise that if we truly examined our motivation we would find it is a selfish desire that has nothing whatsoever to do with true love.

True love goes deeper, much deeper to the spiritual realm of existence. To where we do things for Christ alone because it is only through and in Christ that we are able to experience love. True love comes from Christ and those that are at the level of emotional love are unable and utterly unwilling to submit themselves to spiritual love. They become angry, hostile and irrational when confronted with spiritual love. They will do anything to cling to their idea of love because they feel safe and comfortable.

How often do we find ourselves in a place where we are comfortable and when something comes along to shake us up, we are offended and upset? I'm starting to believe that perhaps it is God doing the shaking up. I'm starting to see that it's when we are unwilling to move, grow and change that we get into trouble and forget our purpose in life. Life is not meant to be lived for the self but for others.

We do not exist to be as comfortable as possible, as rich and as loved as it is possible to be. It's never been about that. Our lives are blessed when we bless others, that is how we receive worth and love. The satisfaction we all seek through our job searches and intimate relationships and extreme sports is found when we turn our lives back to their true path. We need to turn back to God, forsaking the idols we have created, turning away from our comforts and wealth and instead asking God what He wants from us each day.

There is nothing wrong with having money and a comfortable lifestyle. However, each thing that a person has comes from God. Do we thank Him for the things He gives to us each day? The little things first before the big things? Bonhoeffer makes a great point, how can God trust us with the big blessings when we are unwilling to acknowledge the small ones He has already give to us?

Examine your life. See where your blessings are and thank God for what you have. And the next time you pray, ask God what the next step in your path requires from YOU.

God Bless.