It really is difficult to distinguish between love, like, and lust, but first of all, the words LOVE, LIKE and LUST have one thing in common- they all start with the letter L and that is very confusing.
The fact that it is very hard to figure out whether you've moved from one stage of your relationship to the next. Like moving from point A to point B. It's difficult to assume that you actually Love someone when in truth, you are just infatuated with that person.
And then, after going on a few dates and getting to know them, you start to like them. This is when things get bad.
Sometimes, we became too overpowered on what we want than what we actually need. Take note: not all feelings are mutual, not all feelings are true and not all feelings are love. There are times when we are just responding to the pull of the situation. The pressure, the weight, the fact that we feel like we are the most important person in the universe.
So, the question is, how do we really figure out if we Love someone?
For starters, Love without lust is still love.
Lust is for the flesh, and every relationship that is based on lust is not love, but just plain lust. Infatuation is another thing.
Liking someone is easy. You can like someone but not actually love them in general. For example, you like that person but that doesn't mean that you love them.
Love is a variety of different feelings, states, and attitudes that ranges from interpersonal affection to pleasure. It can refer to an emotion of a strong attraction and personal attachment.
How can you tell if you love the person?
It's actually hard to say because some people have a hard time figuring out if it is really love they are feeling.
If you are still confused, then refer to 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
"Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,"
As the saying goes, if you love someone, you let them go.
Love is not selfish; love knows when to stop loving because love is letting go. How? When you love someone, you want to do everything to make them happy, whether it is a life with you or a life with somebody else.
Whereas like is different.
It holds a different weight than love. Liking someone is somewhat similar to liking something. You like that food because it tastes good versus you like that food even though it doesn't taste good because you love the person who cooked the meal for you.
You like someone because you're physically attracted. You like that person because he/she crossed everything out of your dream person bucket list.
But when asked what made you love that person, your answer seems to be shallow, half-hearted and not sincere. You actually question yourself sometimes whether you made the right decision to date that person.
Love doesn't look on the outside, it doesn't judge it is not selfish. Love is the perfect image of God, on how He gave His life for you.
Love knows its boundaries, it knows when to stop.
Love for example, is like the ocean, it can be violent for some people, because a lot of people fight for love. Love is a strong word.
So if you are asking yourself the difference between Love and like and lust, there is just one thing to ask yourself. Are you willing to sacrifice everything for that person? If not, then you should check your feelings, because physical attraction only lasts for a short period of time whereas love is timeless, it grows like a plant, it makes shine brighter, it drives you crazy, it doesn't ask for anything in return, it makes you happy and it always makes you cry.
Love is hard work, it takes a lot of patience to continue to love someone. So asses yourself, is it really love that you are feeling or is it just something else?
