Love: A Harmony of Relationships

In this final week of Advent, we focus on love—the foundation of all meaningful relationships and the

essence of God’s nature. Love calls us to live in connection: with God, with others, and within ourselves.

As we light the fourth candle, we reflect on love not as a fleeting emotion but as an enduring

commitment to cultivate compassion, care, and unity in all areas of life.

Through the lens of Internal Family Systems (IFS), we can explore how love invites us to seek harmony

within ourselves and extend it outward. Advent reminds us that this love begins with God’s love for

us—a love that transforms and empowers us to share it with the world.

Love as Integration

Internal Family Systems theory teaches that each part of us plays a role in shaping how we experience

and express love. By engaging these parts with curiosity and compassion, we create internal harmony,

which overflows into our relationships.

Spiritually, love mirrors God’s relational nature. As 1 John 4:19 reminds us, “We love because He first

loved us.” This love is not static but dynamic, inviting us to draw closer to God and reflect His love in our

actions toward others and ourselves. Advent reminds us that God’s love is the foundation from which all

love flows.

Cultivating Love in Three Directions

Here’s how Advent invites us to explore love through the interconnected dimensions of life:

1. Loving God: Rooting Ourselves in Divine Love

Loving God begins with recognizing Him as the source of love. Just as IFS encourages us to connect with

our inner "Self" as a place of calm and clarity, turning to God grounds us in His love, which sustains and

guides us.

• Practice:

  • Spend time in quiet reflection or prayer, inviting God’s love to fill your heart.

  • Reflect on how God has shown His love for you this season—through provision, peace, or moments of grace.

  • Ask God to help you live out this love in your relationships and daily life.

2. Loving Others: Extending God’s Love Through Compassion

Love for others often challenges us to move beyond self-interest to reflect the love we have received

from God. IFS reminds us that our relationships are shaped by how we engage with the parts of

ourselves that carry fear, resentment, or hurt. God’s love equips us to extend grace and understanding

even when it’s difficult.

• Practice:

  • Think of one relationship where love might bring healing or renewal.

  • Pray for this person, asking God to guide your interactions with them.

  • Take a small step to show kindness or care, trusting God to work through your efforts.

3. Loving Yourself: Embracing the Image of God Within

Loving yourself is an act of honoring the image of God in you. IFS encourages us to approach all parts of

ourselves—even those that feel burdened or broken—with compassion. Recognizing God’s love for us

helps us extend this same love inward, creating inner harmony.

• Practice:

  • Reflect on a part of yourself that feels burdened or disconnected.

  • Offer it kindness and bring it before God in prayer, asking for His healing and guidance.

  • Consider how embracing God’s love for you can bring peace to your inner world.

Love in the Advent Story

The Advent story is a profound expression of God’s love for humanity. From Mary’s courageous “yes” to

Joseph’s steadfast care, the story reveals how love transforms individuals and communities. Most

significantly, the incarnation—God becoming flesh to dwell among us—reminds us that love is not

distant but deeply present and relational.

As we reflect on this story, we see that love is not abstract but tangible. It shows up in acts of service,

words of encouragement, and the quiet moments of choosing connection over division.

A Reflection on Love

Take time this week to reflect on these questions:

• How have you experienced God’s love this Advent season?

• How might God’s love inspire you to show love in your relationships?

• What would it look like to honor the image of God within yourself this week?

Advent reminds us that love is a gift freely given by God and a calling to share that gift in the way we live

and relate to others. Through small acts of kindness, forgiveness, and connection, we reflect the love

that God has poured into our hearts.

Moving Forward

This week, let love guide your actions and intentions. Seek God’s love as your foundation, and let it

overflow into your relationships and your care for yourself. Whether through prayer, acts of kindness, or

quiet reflection, remember that love transforms not only your heart but the world around you.

May your Advent journey culminate in a deeper experience of God’s love, equipping you to live it out in

ways that bring hope, healing, and harmony.