Love vs. In Love

[HazelWings]

Last night B and I were talking about the difference between loving someone and being in love with someone. Now I'm curious...

Do you think there is a difference between the two, and how can you tell?

 

[Miss Spaulding]

In my opinion, there's definitely a difference...not sure how to explain how you would be able to discern between the two. I have an idea, but I'm not sure how to put in words...

 

[Verve]

When people are in love I always think of it as infatuation and the happy feelings that you get when you care for someone.

Love itself is a verb. To love. It isn't a feeling as "being in love" is.

Love is defined for me in 1st Corinthians 13.

 

[HazelWings]

When people are in love I always think of it as infatuation and the happy feelings that you get when you care for someone.

Love itself is a verb. To love. It isn't a feeling as "being in love" is.

Love is defined for me in 1st Corinthians 13.

So your definition would mean "in love" is the feeling, and "love" is the action?

 

[Verve]

So your definition would mean "in love" is the feeling, and "love" is the action?

Yep.

 

[Rose of Eden]

When people are in love I always think of it as infatuation and the happy feelings that you get when you care for someone.

Love itself is a verb. To love. It isn't a feeling as "being in love" is.

Love is defined for me in 1st Corinthians 13.

^This!

"In love," I think, is the infatuation, the feelings. "Love," on the other hand, is the action and the choice.

 

[Inkachu]

"In love" is the giddy, fluttery, shout-from-the-rooftops feeling that comes and goes throughout the relationship. "Love" is the committed, selfless, put-the-other-person-first conviction that is so powerful it's almost beyond yourself, and it stays steady the entire time.

 

[penNpaper]

I don't know if this will make senses but alas I shall give it anyways.

Love has two forms out of the many forms out there. Conditional and Unconditional. To love in the conditional realm has its limits to the power of love with a "but" in it. To love unconditional means to simply love to simply accept someone to simply love without thinking of what you shall get in return - to simply give love and accept someone in Christ. Doesn't matter the past, present, or future if someone loves you unconditional with Christ - that is something special to have

For me - to Love Unconditional is something Powerful - it is what the Lord has taught me recently.

God Bless,
Drew

 

[SnowyMacie]

Love is something intangible, in love is something you can define and see.

 

[PinkSweetart]

When people are in love I always think of it as infatuation and the happy feelings that you get when you care for someone.

Love itself is a verb. To love. It isn't a feeling as "being in love" is.

Love is defined for me in 1st Corinthians 13.

"In love" is the giddy, fluttery, shout-from-the-rooftops feeling that comes and goes throughout the relationship. "Love" is the committed, selfless, put-the-other-person-first conviction that is so powerful it's almost beyond yourself, and it stays steady the entire time.

I don't know if this will make senses but alas I shall give it anyways.

Love has two forms out of the many forms out there. Conditional and Unconditional. To love in the conditional realm has its limits to the power of love with a "but" in it. To love unconditional means to simply love to simply accept someone to simply love without thinking of what you shall get in return - to simply give love and accept someone in Christ. Doesn't matter the past, present, or future if someone loves you unconditional with Christ - that is something special to have

For me - to Love Unconditional is something Powerful - it is what the Lord has taught me recently.

God Bless,
Drew

I agree with these.

 

[Scottish Knight]

I would define it somewhat differently. I would say a crush is when you get those "giddy feelings" for someone. Being "in love" is when these crush feelings turn into real love and a deep care for that person. So for me "in love" is a real type of love found in real caring romantic relationships.

 

[Amber.ly]

I define being 'in love' as an emotion that comes from your love of someone. I think people get messed up when they fall in love instead of just loving first.

That made sense in my head. Funny how it never translates well outside of my brain...

 

[somebodysangel_88]

I'm not really answering it since I don't have a full answer yet but my favorite preacher (he's like the big kid at camp and he's almost 80) always says "You don't fall in love, you fall in ditches"!

 

[Nanopants]

Last night B and I were talking about the difference between loving someone and being in love with someone. Now I'm curious...

Do you think there is a difference between the two, and how can you tell?

From a Christian perspective, yes I believe there is a difference. God is love: that is, Christ, being the image of God, gave up his own life for our sake. Yes, Christ did what he did from the heart and yes emotions were involved, though probably not romantic emotions. So that's love.

Being in love I think is something that has become culturally defined as that romantic emotion that we feel specifically for a mate. That isn't to say it's entirely different than Christian love: perhaps it's more specialized, and I'm not entirely sure that the two should be separated even though there is a difference.

 

[Thunder Peel]

Being "in love" is really more of a feeling. You get giddy, excited, or nervous when the other person is around. It's a pleasant feeling but it DOES fade over time. The more you get to know someone and spend time with them, the more flaws and rough patches will pop up.

That's where "love" comes into play. It's an action and a choice that you have to consciously make every day. You may not always be happy with the other person or they may hurt you or upset you; that's when you have to decide if you're going to move past the feeling and love them unconditionally. Many people assume that when the feeling is gone that love has died, but really that's not the case; it's just matured into something more complex and real.

That's how it is with Caitlin. I get excited when she's around and I get to talk to her; however, I also love her because of how Christ loves us and every morning I wake up and realize that I have to SHOW her love, not just FEEL it. I love her because of who she is and all the wonderful gifts and talents that God has blessed her with. It's blossomed into something so much more beautiful and it's wonderful. Hopefully that makes sense.

 

[GodsChild77]

Many people assume that when the feeling is gone that love has died, but really that's not the case; it's just matured into something more complex and real.....

.....That's how it is with Caitlin. I get excited when she's around and I get to talk to her but I also love her because of how Christ loves us and every morning I wake up and realize that I have to SHOW her love, not just FEEL it.

I like these things you said. Very realistic... looking at love realistically is what makes it true love... loving realistically involves looking outside more than yourself. To show love vs. to feel love... feel it = the internal feeling you enjoy... while show it = the actual expression/embodiment of the feeling, so that the other person may enjoy and experience it.

 

[Tink]

Being "in love" is really more of a feeling. You get giddy, excited, or nervous when the other person is around. It's a pleasant feeling but it DOES fade over time. The more you get to know someone and spend time with them, the more flaws and rough patches will pop up.

That's where "love" comes into play. It's an action and a choice that you have to consciously make every day. You may not always be happy with the other person or they may hurt you or upset you; that's when you have to decide if you're going to move past the feeling and love them unconditionally. Many people assume that when the feeling is gone that love has died, but really that's not the case; it's just matured into something more complex and real.

That's how it is with Caitlin. I get excited when she's around and I get to talk to her; however, I also love her because of how Christ loves us and every morning I wake up and realize that I have to SHOW her love, not just FEEL it. I love her because of who she is and all the wonderful gifts and talents that God has blessed her with. It's blossomed into something so much more beautiful and it's wonderful. Hopefully that makes sense.

Austin, you are so wise and I am SO honored to call you friend.

 

[Sapphyre]

I agree with most who've posted, that being "in love" is that giddy feeling at the beginning of a romantic relationship, and "love" is mostly a choice. I won't say it's always a choice, because everyone knows some people who are just compatible with their personalities, and easy to love. But I think we all know at least one person who we find difficult to love... that's where the choice, and challenge, to emulate Christ's love comes in.

 

[GodsChild77]

.

 

[GodsChild77]

I would define it somewhat differently. I would say a crush is when you get those "giddy feelings" for someone. Being "in love" is when these crush feelings turn into real love and a deep care for that person. So for me "in love" is a real type of love found in real caring romantic relationships.

This makes sense to me.