Sadness in the pursuit of happiness 

Have you ever noticed the happiness of young lovers? The cultivation of love brings happiness.

Western civilization needs a major re-thinking of the processes of love.

We have a paperback book industry based upon 'romance' and a movie industry that has a whole genre called 'chick flicks.'

The appetite for these escapes into a land of 'love' indicates the enormous need in the human condition for love.

Unfortunately, our western-civ  perception of romance-as-love has engendered a philosophy  of 'fell in love' or 'fell out of love' with the thought that someone either is or is not 'in love' with a person. 

There is much melancholy in the land of romance. There is tremendous sadness among the love-lorn of humanity. Why is so much sadness being experienced by so many who are merely wanting to be loved? 

How can one learn to cultivate love in a relationship? How can love be developed as a way of life? How can these processes of love be a dynamic that brings happiness?

In looking at the evidence of God's Spirit being active in our lives, we find various ingredients. The Apostle Paul listed nine of these basic ingredients in his letter to the church at Galatia as being proofs of an active relationship with God.

These ingredients are interactive, with perhaps the first and last of the list being much like 'book ends' - "Love....and self control, against such there is no law."

Between 'Love' and 'self control' are such things as gentleness, kindness and goodness. These are the necessary ingredients of love that bring happiness. People who are truly 'loving' are gentle, kind and good. 

One cannot remain unhappy for very long when in the company of someone who is gentle, kind and good. These are the expressions of love. These must be cultivated...you don't fall in or out of gentleness, kindness or goodness. As you cultivate these expressions you cultivate a lifestyle of love.

The expressions of love bring happiness. "Don't worry - (love and) be happy!"