Love and Lust.... What's the Difference?

There's something that has really been weighing on my mind lately... and that is the difference between love and lust. At my age (and any age really), it's so hard to distinguish between genuine feelings for someone and a physical attraction. It would be so much easier if there were some easy way to tell the difference. Relationships wouldn't be risked, maybe less people would cheat on their spouse. But unfortunately there is no magic voice in your head telling you whether you are in lust or love. The two are really easy to confuse unless you know what key differences you're looking for.... and even then it's easy to get caught up in a relationship based on lust.

Let's look at some differences. Lust is selfish. In a relationship based only on lust you will more than likely care about your needs, wants, and desires more than the other person's. Lust is physical. It satisfies our senses.... not our emotional needs. It' is completely of the flesh. Love, on the other hand.... love is very different. While it is good to be physically attracted the the person you love  it is very different from lust. The best way I've heard this physical attracted described was by one of my friends husbands.... he said his wife became his definition of what beauty was. Notice he didn't use the word "hott".... but beauty. It has a completely different connotation. His wife was his definition of pure beauty. This is, I believe, is the physical attraction of love.

Now I know it's probably not worth much... but I'm gonna tell you a little about my experience with the whole lust versus love thing. Love, to me, is comfort. It isn't always this burning passion or steamy desire.... but a nice slow pace that you share
with someone. This is one of my favorite quotes describing love, "Love is a choice you make from moment to moment"- Barbara de Angelis. To some... this may make love seem cold and calculated. But I view this differently. It's not that I view loving as something I force myself to do or make myself choose... it's something I choose to keep working on. Because love, unlike lust, is not easy. It takes work and maintenance. It takes laughing and crying, holding hands, fighting and forgiving. It takes time and patience, and most of all it takes a commitment. Lust requires none of these things. And
that is the biggest difference.