Learning to Love Right

For the last few weeks, I have spent a lot of time thinking about a certain girl. I started rearranging my schedule a bit so I could see her a little more often, and I wanted to take every opportunity to impress her a little. Sadly, I also had a day last week where I felt rather distanced from Heavenly Father, and I had a hard time interacting with people as freely and energetically as I usually do. I realized that I had taken my primary focus off of God, and I was feeling the consequences.

I have often heard and agreed with the advice to love Heavenly Father first and foremost and keep Him in every relationship you enter. I think I went too far, focusing on my friend as much as I was. I could feel a distinct lack of the Holy Ghost for a while last week, and to be frank, life was terrible without it. It was ironic that by putting this girl on such high priority, I reduced my ability to appreciate, care for, and love her because I let my love for God grow lax.

I'm aware that because Heavenly Father has blessed me with so much in this life, I am a target for Satan. As soon as I let my guard down, he struck, and I found myself distanced from those I truly love (Heavenly Father and my friend included). The scary part is, I didn't realize what was going on until today. Thankfully, Heavenly Father led me to see what was happening. I started realigning my priorities, and life quickly became sweet again. The Holy Ghost has returned as my companion, and I understand more fully how this relationship should progress.

Love is the greatest force in all existence and eternity, and Christ Himself taught that the two greatest commandments are to "love the Lord thy God with all they heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind" and to "love thy neighbor as thyself" (Matthew 22:36-40). I need to remember to keep the first at all times so that I can more appropriately and successfully keep the second.