Single and Happy: Finding Your Love Life Every Day

The Hard Work of Love

"Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends."

John 15:13

Indeed, our happiness is not what this world offers, but what God offers.

Jesus said, "As I have loved you, so you must love one another" (John 13:34)

This is the loving that is not merely liking, but willing.

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:43)

Is it easy? Of course not. We're talking about real happiness and true love here, hello, surely it will be hard.

No man ever truly loved and was authentically happy without experiencing suffering (a cross). That's why it's better not to seek wisdom from those who hadn't experienced suffering.

Jesus was the happiest man who lived here in this world and yet is the most who suffered. It is from Him we seek for wisdom and guidance.

There is a song entitled "Look, learn and live with me" sang by Mitziel Toledo, a friend of mine in Cebu, where a part of the lyrics illustrates the guidance that Jesus gives,

So look at me and have no fear
Learn from me to walk through the end
'coz I understand to love is never that easy.
Fix your eyes on me, look and learn from me and live with me.

With Him we will not just love, but we will love to the fullest!

"Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends." (John 15:3)

Friend, give your life freely that you may find it fully, as what Jesus has done.

"No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father." (John 10:18)

If we want a loving that is strong and that lasts forever, then we must introduce someone to the real love–God. Guide that person in building a relationship with Him. In doing so, even if we go where God calls us to, that person has already received the love he needs in order to go and fulfill his purpose–to love in each moment every day.

Our mission then is to form people to be loving. Therefore, the best gift we can give someone is not physical bread but the bread of the Word of God where one can find love.

Preach the Word through your mouth as you speak, through your feet as you move, through your hands as you act, through your ears as you listen, and through your eyes as you see. Indeed, it is only in loving that one can find fulfillment.

Let us now answer the question, "What to do now?"

Now, we do loving, regardless of what the world tells us what we need to do, despite of the result that our mere eyes can see and despite of all the questioning of others, keep loving. As Mother Teresa said,

"People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered; Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God; It was never between you and them anyway."

Friend, loving is living, so love anyway, not later, not tomorrow, but today, now.