God programmed each of us to need love and acceptance. We live in a world that knows nothing about His love, and we run into problems when we look for something we don’t even know how to define. The search can lead us down blind alleys, and result in loneliness and pain, if we accept the secular definition of this word. But God offers us a love like no other.

God knows all about us, but He accepts us just the way we are. Unlike humans, His love is unconditional, and His feelings for us never end. “The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: ‘Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you’” (Jeremiah 31:3, NKJV). It’s refreshing to know that we can let our guard down with God and be ourselves. He won’t reject us.

Too often the love we find in others is flawed. People can let selfishness, insecurity, or fear get in the way. Learning to love another person the way the Bible tells us is impossible without divine help, but God is love, and there’s no better teacher than the Master. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, NIV). We stay solidly grounded when we remember God’s definition of this often misunderstood word.

Finding these qualities in another person can seem like a tall order, but the Holy Spirit always honors our requests when we ask for His guidance. God never intended for us to go through life alone, and one way of expressing His love for us is to match us up with another Christian. There are all kinds of people in the world, but when we find one that is set aside for us, our spirit will recognize what He’s doing in our lives. “The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him’” (Genesis 2:18, NIV).

Establishing that relationship we’ve been waiting for is great, but love is more than an emotion—it’s a decision. Some couples are fooled into thinking it’s a feeling, and they wonder what’s wrong when they face emotional challenges as a couple. Whether dating or married, every relationship has rocky times as well as trouble-free times. A godly relationship becomes stronger when the couple allows the love of God to guide them rather than their emotions.

When we’ve got stars in our eyes and we’re looking for “true love,” we should look first to the Word for instructions on building a lasting relationship. Feelings can run hot and cold almost daily, but God wants to give us something greater, deeper, and more permanent. He wants to give us Himself. “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another” (1 John 4:9, 11).  A relationship based on Him is rock solid.