Love VS. Lust

So I realize that the majority of my posts might seem kind of preachy but I assure you that is not my intention. I have a mind that goes a mile a minute and I enjoy "researching" certain thought processes so that my brain can feed its hunger to know every little detail about a certain subject. I love being well informed about things I'm interested in so that if any of these things ever come up in conversation, I can discuss it with REAL content and opinions to back it up!

So what is running through Rachel's brain today?? The difference between LOVE and LUST.

I mean I know basically, like we all do, the difference of the two BUT I wanted to really look into the content on the church website. I think being single makes me more facinated with this specific subject because in the world today the two have merged together so much that it's extremely difficult to tell the difference.

I'm all about the LOVE (not that I haven't lusted after anyone...Channing Tatum, Ryan Gosling, yum.)and to say I've been looking for it in all the WRONG places would be the understatement of the century (but that's another day another blog post). So here's where the problem lies...when most girls are all about the love a lot of dirt bag boys are all about the lust. The majority of these boys know exactly how to make you believe that they too are in it for love or that they REALLY, TRULY like you. Now don't you get me wrong there are a lot of MEN out there searching for love, not lust. But seperating the two can become a very difficult task at times.It becomes so hard to tell the difference between love and lust and then you throw infatuation in there and you have a whole cluster you-know-what. So I searched on the church website and I found a short and sweet little excerpt on love, lust, and infatuation. I really liked it so I thought I would share...

"Often what we call being “in love” is actually infatuation. It’s that exciting feeling you have when you discover that you really, really like another person. That feeling usually includes an element of physical attraction. There’s nothing wrong with being infatuated with someone. It’s a normal and important part of getting to know what you like about other people. But sometimes it isn’t much more than a quickly passing excitement.

Love, on the other hand, is a much deeper and richer emotion. It develops over time as you get to know and value the character of another person, as you enjoy the relationship you share, and as you become committed to acting in the best interests of that person. It includes caring, friendship, and respect, in addition to physical attraction.

Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles offered this description of love: “True love elevates, protects, respects, and enriches another. It motivates you to make sacrifices for the [person] you love” (“Making the Right Choices,” Ensign, Nov. 1994, 38).

Lust, on the other hand, is pretty much the exact opposite. Instead of elevating, it lowers. Instead of protecting, it endangers. Instead of enriching, it impoverishes. When you are feeling lust, you are thinking about the other person mainly as a means to satisfy your own physical desires. As Elder Scott taught: “Satan would promote counterfeit love, which is really lust. That is driven by hunger to satisfy personal appetite” (Ensign, Nov. 1994, 38).

Although infatuation can lead to love, lust actually keeps love from growing. According to Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926–2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Lust prevents the development of true love” (“Cleanse Us from All Unrighteousness,” New Era, Feb. 1987, 7). True love motivates us to place the comfort and convenience of the other person before our own, while lust does just the opposite.

To keep your relationships on the right track, try to focus on the other person as a whole person. Do things together that will help you get to know each other’s personalities, interests, and character traits. Think how you would want someone to treat your younger sister or brother, and try to treat the other person accordingly. Then love can grow out of a foundation of friendship and respect."

Neat huh? I know you married's are thinking DUH RACHEL! Let me provide with an FYI moment in closing...

In my old age I've become pretty good at not being fooled by the world's d-bags. But truth be told...I've been caught up with a few boys that were less than worthy of my time, yet somehow they would get it anyways. This is where the nice guys suffer...at times the nice ones aren't the ones I am immediately attracted to (something about those bad boys right?) But the more mature I become the more I realize that its not about how infatuated or attracted I am to the person or his traits but it truly, truly is about what is inside (cliche I know). Which boy is going to take me to the temple? Which boy is going to be able to raise my children to be STRONG and FAITHFUL members of the church while loving them unconditionally? Which boy is going to love me for all of my imperfections? Not the lustful bad boy, thats for sure! So on my "quest"(haha) to find the right person, I've made a promise to myself not to write off the good boys and to keep my guard up for the lustful ones.

Took me long enough to finally get this through my brain, huh family?