I'm definitely team "real love". Love that gives God glory, makes the people involved better and brings joy. What I'm not for is "love" that brings struggle and that changes the people involved for the worse. Now, I'm not a love or relationship expert but previous relationships and a situation that some would call marriage have taught me the "no go'' signs of a relationship and how to determine and distinguish true love from a toxic situation.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 gives a clear picture of love "4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails... "
I feel that inevitably love builds,
and should be something that makes you better and stronger. I don't think that God intended for love to be a destructive struggle or to be painful or to even bring heartache. I see so many people in situations and relationships that are spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally and sometimes even financially destroying them and it is a sad sad sight to see. I can't speak for everyone but I can speak for myself and say that I've stayed in toxic situations for various reasons: 1) I felt like I couldn't do better. 2) I felt like the situation would get better. 3) I didn't want to leave what was 'comfortable'. 4) I thought that I was in love. 5)I was shallow and reasoned that they we're cute and took ycare of me so it didn't make sense to leave. Whatever the reason or excuse that you or other people
make to stay in a situation isn't good enough if it's destroying you. I talk about my marriage so much because it was truly one of the lowest points of my life... BUT GOD! And if I can use my struggle to help or to encourage someone, then that's exactly what I'll do. Don't allow a situation to break you if you don't have to be broken.