1. Introduction: What Does It Mean to Truly Love God?

In the life of faith, many people say they love God. We are willing to pray, attend gatherings, and read the Bible. We thank God when life is peaceful and praise Him when we receive His blessings. But when trials come, when God's requirements do not align with our notions, or when following Him requires sacrifice and giving up our own interests, can we still continue to follow and submit to Him? It is then that we realize our love for God is often mixed with conditions and expectations. We want God to bless and protect us, yet we are unwilling to truly satisfy His intentions.

So what is genuine love? What kind of love is pleasing to God?

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 says: “Love suffers long, and is kind; love envies not; love brags not itself, is not puffed up, Does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil; Rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

This passage not only reveals the characteristics of love, but also helps us understand that true love is not temporary enthusiasm or verbal promises. Rather, it is the expression of a selfless, pure life that stands the test of trials.

2. What Does 1 Corinthians 13:4–7 Mean?

From this passage, we can see that true love is not a feeling, nor is it enthusiasm shown only in good times. Rather, it is a genuine expression of life that continues to submit to God even through difficult circumstances and trials. True love is not about seeking our own interests, but about satisfying God's intentions. It is not about receiving, but about willingly giving. It is not merely expressed in words, but lived out in everyday life.

Although this passage is often used to speak about love between people, it is equally practical when applied to our relationship with God. After all, if we do not love God, how can we truly love others? A person who truly loves God does not merely say “I love God” when receiving His grace. Rather, when circumstances do not align with their own wishes and they are required to pay a price, they are still willing to submit to God, follow God, and satisfy God.

God says, “‘Love,’ as it is called, refers to an affection that is pure and unblemished, where you use your heart to love, to feel, and to be considerate. In love there are no conditions, no barriers, and no distance. In love there is no suspicion, no deceit, and no cunning. In love there are no transactions, and there are no adulterations whatsoever. If you have love, then you will not deceive, complain, betray, rebel, demand, or seek to gain something or to gain a certain amount of something. If you have love, then you will gladly dedicate yourself and gladly suffer hardship, you will be compatible with Me, and you will forsake all that you have for Me, forsaking your family, your prospects, your youth, and your marriage. If not, your love would not be love at all, but deceit and betrayal!” (The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Many Are Called, but Few Are Chosen).

From God’s words, we can better understand that truly loving God is not a verbal profession, nor is it loving God in order to receive blessings. Rather, it is being able to submit to God and satisfy God in our daily lives. Such love involves no bargaining and no seeking to receive. We do not love God simply because He has bestowed grace upon us, but because we have come to know Him and experienced His love, we are willing to follow Him and submit to Him from the heart.

3. How Can We Practice the Teachings of 1 Corinthians 13:4–7 in Daily Life?

After understanding what true love is, the next step is to live it out. Many people think loving God is something abstract, but it begins with giving our hearts to Him

God says, “When people use their hearts to engage with God, when their hearts are able to turn to Him entirely, this is the first step in man’s love for God. If you want to love God, you must first be able to turn your heart to Him. What is turning your heart to God? It is when everything that you pursue in your heart is for the sake of loving and gaining God. This shows that you have completely turned your heart to God. Aside from God and His words, there is almost nothing else in your heart (family, wealth, husband, wife, children, etc.). Even if there is, such things cannot occupy your heart, and you do not think of your future prospects but only pursue loving God. At such time you will have completely turned your heart to God” (The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Genuine Love for God Is Spontaneous).

God’s words tell us that loving God is not a slogan, but a choice. When we are willing to draw near to God, read His words, and seek Him in prayer, our hearts gradually turn toward Him. When we face situations and are willing to seek God’s intentions first instead of making decisions according to our own ideas, we are practicing love for God. When we are willing to put God first in our lives and not allow fame, status, or material things to occupy our hearts, we are learning to truly love God. Loving God is not a moment of enthusiasm, but practicing God’s words in our daily lives and giving Him the foremost place in our hearts.

4. Why Are Those Who Truly Love God Approved of and Blessed by Him?

God delights in those who truly love Him and remembers those who are willing to give themselves for Him. Those who truly love God do not love Him in order to receive blessings. Yet such people are most likely to live under God’s guidance and approval, because what they pursue is no longer worldly gain, but God’s intentions.

God says, “Because they are able to bear witness to God and devote all their efforts to God’s work, those who truly love God can walk anywhere beneath the heavens without anyone daring to oppose them, and they can reign over the earth and rule all the people of God. These people have come together from across the world. They are people from all over the world who speak different languages and have different skin colors, but the significance of their existence is the same; they all have a God-loving heart, they all bear the same testimony, and have the same resolve, and the same wish. Those who love God can walk freely throughout the world, and those who bear witness to God can travel across the universe. These people are beloved by God, they are blessed by God, and they will forever live within His light” (The Word, Vol. 1. The Appearance and Work of God. Those Who Love God Will Forever Live Within His Light).

From God’s words, we can see that God especially treasures people’s love for Him. A person who truly loves God may seem ordinary in the eyes of the world, but is precious in God’s eyes. Such people are willing to submit to God, bear witness to God, and satisfy God. What they gain is not only outward grace, but also inner peace, growth in life, and a closer relationship with God. Living under God’s guidance and in His light is itself the greatest blessing.

5. Conclusion

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 teaches us that true love is not selfish, conditional, or merely expressed in words. Those who truly love God give their hearts to Him, submit to Him through every circumstance, practice His words in daily life, and willingly devote themselves to satisfying Him.

Today, let us quietly ask ourselves: Is my love for God based on His grace and blessings, or is it rooted in a genuine knowledge of Him and true submission?

May we all pursue this kind of love, let God’s words become our life, learn to love God and submit to God through our daily experiences, and ultimately become people who are delighted in, approved of, and blessed by God.