jonrgrover Posted February 25, 2020 Group: Members Followers: 1 Topic Count: 3 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 3 Content Per Day: 0.00 Reputation: 2 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/25/2020 Status: Offline Share Posted February 25, 2020 (edited) I do not feel love for any other people. I don't think I even feel love for myself. What is the feeling of love? How can you tell if you feel love? My mother was too traumatized to think, much less nurture a baby. She was unable to do anything but reject and neglect a baby from the day it was born. I don't know who traumatized her, but it must have been horrible. My father was able to think, but was unable to feel. I never had a role model of a person who feels love, and neither of my parents were ever able to teach me what feelings were what. So I have never felt love, or if I have, I have never known that that was what the feeling was. They say that if an infant is not nurtured, then significant parts of the brain do not develop, or they contract, or waste away, or they get turned off. A brain scan would probably show that the portions of the brain that people use for love have wasted away in my brain, or worse yet, never even grew to begin with. How can I feel love? Is it possible that God can nurture me the same way a mother nurtures her infant? Can he hold me and suckle me and attend to my needs as a mother attends to her infant in order for me to feel love? Can he grow the love portions of my brain? What does the Bible say about those whose parents prevented their loving ability from developing? And what does the Bible say the solution is for an adult who has never had love? Edited February 25, 2020 by jonrgrover 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhchristian Posted February 25, 2020 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 9 Topic Count: 136 Topics Per Day: 0.08 Content Count: 2,488 Content Per Day: 1.40 Reputation: 1,325 Days Won: 0 Joined: 06/29/2019 Status: Offline Share Posted February 25, 2020 11 hours ago, jonrgrover said: Is it possible that God can nurture me the same way a mother nurtures her infant? Can he hold me and suckle me and attend to my needs as a mother attends to her infant in order for me to feel love? Can he grow the love portions of my brain? What does the Bible say about those whose parents prevented their loving ability from developing? And what does the Bible say the solution is for an adult who has never had love? Wow, Tough question. Christianity is first and foremost a relationship rather than a religion. A relationship of a Father to a son. With Your upbringing, It must be hard to connect to this relational aspect. So I am going to try something a little different here. Imagine if you will an ant hill in the cracks in your driveway, You walk past it and barely take note of it, or you may even knock it down and step on it just to not see it. Now, Let's say a car pulls into your driveway and is about to run over those ants, and Kill them, would you even care about them? Well, What Jesus Did on the cross, He did it for us, who are in relation to Him those ants in your driveway. He literally threw himself in front of that car and got run over so that you, the Little ant going about his ant life can live. That is what Love is. Love is giving without expecting anything in return. Love is sacrificing your freedom and time to help another person in need. Love is a parent sacrificing their freedom to raise a child and to love them unconditionally, many times at the expense of their aspirations and social life. God is Love, Who came in Human form to die on the cross in your place that through his suffering you might be made free of the condemnation you deserve as an ant in God's driveway. Not only did he spare our lives on this earth, But he then took those ants and gave them eternal life, and built them mansions to live in for all eternity. That is what Love is, and that is why we cry "Abba Father" to our God, as little children. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (Romans 8:15) The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen (2 Cor. 13:14) 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alive Posted February 25, 2020 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 22 Topic Count: 194 Topics Per Day: 0.11 Content Count: 11,054 Content Per Day: 6.48 Reputation: 9,018 Days Won: 36 Joined: 09/12/2019 Status: Offline Birthday: 01/09/1956 Share Posted February 25, 2020 I would just add to this from real life experience. I found in myself that it just happened as I grew in appreciation of just how much He loves me and how badly I need His Grace. The extending of those things to others seemed to come proportionately to the former. Little to no effort is involved. There was and is a healthy dose of disciplining by the Lord because of my many shortcomings that was instrumental in that mentioned 'appreciation'. I believe it is simply the Life of the Lord flowing through us. May God bless you and shine light into your heart. One day at a time walking with your Lord. He is Gracious beyond understanding. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tzephanyahu Posted February 25, 2020 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 69 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 1,625 Content Per Day: 0.78 Reputation: 2,033 Days Won: 1 Joined: 09/10/2018 Status: Offline Share Posted February 25, 2020 Shalom @jonrgrover 13 hours ago, jonrgrover said: So I have never felt love, or if I have, I have never known that that was what the feeling was. Can I ask you if that really the case? Never for anyone, ever? What would you say was the closest you felt to it? You don't have to give details, but the general idea. Hopefully you allow me to ask another question. When you see people in love, hear of kind acts of love, or imagine being loved - what feelings does it bring you? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neighbor Posted February 26, 2020 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 18 Topic Count: 962 Topics Per Day: 0.35 Content Count: 13,708 Content Per Day: 5.04 Reputation: 9,106 Days Won: 6 Joined: 12/04/2016 Status: Offline Birthday: 03/03/1885 Share Posted February 26, 2020 On 2/25/2020 at 3:13 AM, jonrgrover said: What is the feeling of love? Hi, Love is not a two sided arrangement. It is not a feeling. Love is a deliberate choice, one made without any expectation of reward. Love is sacrifice rather than gain. Love is a deliberate choice, it is not a mere hormonal attraction nor opportunity for personal gain or satisfaction. A person can choose to love their enemy. From Luke 6 The Beatitudes 20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. 22 “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! 23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. Jesus Pronounces Woes 24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. 25 “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. “Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. 26 “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets. Love Your Enemies 27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic[b] either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. 32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Judging Others 37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnthebaptist Posted March 22, 2020 Group: Non-Conformist Theology Followers: 6 Topic Count: 118 Topics Per Day: 0.06 Content Count: 4,361 Content Per Day: 2.29 Reputation: 2,109 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/25/2019 Status: Offline Birthday: 02/03/1953 Share Posted March 22, 2020 On 2/25/2020 at 12:13 AM, jonrgrover said: I do not feel love for any other people. I don't think I even feel love for myself. What is the feeling of love? How can you tell if you feel love? My mother was too traumatized to think, much less nurture a baby. She was unable to do anything but reject and neglect a baby from the day it was born. I don't know who traumatized her, but it must have been horrible. My father was able to think, but was unable to feel. I never had a role model of a person who feels love, and neither of my parents were ever able to teach me what feelings were what. So I have never felt love, or if I have, I have never known that that was what the feeling was. They say that if an infant is not nurtured, then significant parts of the brain do not develop, or they contract, or waste away, or they get turned off. A brain scan would probably show that the portions of the brain that people use for love have wasted away in my brain, or worse yet, never even grew to begin with. How can I feel love? Is it possible that God can nurture me the same way a mother nurtures her infant? Can he hold me and suckle me and attend to my needs as a mother attends to her infant in order for me to feel love? Can he grow the love portions of my brain? What does the Bible say about those whose parents prevented their loving ability from developing? And what does the Bible say the solution is for an adult who has never had love? I don't think love is a feeling. I think love is how we are supposed to treat people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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