THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: 'Where is the love' asks Offaly columnist

I was listening to Marty in the morning on Lyric FM radio recently, as I often do, a small refuge from the relentless weight of toxic news, the sorrow, hate and division that seem to echo endlessly through our world. And then a song played, “Where Is the Love?” by Roberta Flack. It felt less like music and more like a prayer drifting through the room. Because isn’t that the question so many of us are carrying right now? Where is the love in a world that feels so broken, so wounded, so exhausted? Where is the love in the cruelty, the wars, the injustice, the loneliness, the hate, the racism, the fear? And perhaps most tender of all, where is God’s love in the midst of it all?

A broken world and a faithful God

The world is broken. Scripture never pretends otherwise. Human sin, selfishness, pride, fear, hate and trauma have fractured our relationships with God, with one another, and even with ourselves. We see the fruit of that brokenness everywhere such as division instead of unity, judgment instead of mercy, self-protection instead of compassion. Yet here is the holy paradox: God’s love has not diminished, even when the world has. “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18. God is not distant from our pain. He is not indifferent to our suffering. He is not absent from the chaos. In fact, Scripture tells us that He draws closer to those who are hurting.

When love feels scarce, it is not because God has withdrawn but because His love is so often obscured by fear, woundedness, and the noise of the world. Love is one of the most powerful forces in human existence. It shapes our relationships, influences our decisions, and defines how we see one another. From family bonds to friendships, from marriage to compassion for strangers, love lies at the heart of every meaningful connection. And yet, in a world marked by selfishness, hatred, and division, true love can feel rare. Part of the reason is that we have confused love with feeling, attraction, affection, chemistry, convenience. But Scripture tells us something far deeper. Love is not merely an emotion. It is a choice, a commitment, a way of life. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud." 1 Corinthians 13:4. God's love is steady in trial, humble in strength, and selfless in action. It seeks the good of the other, even when it costs something.

What love really is (and what it is not)

The world often speaks of love as a feeling, fleeting, conditional, transactional. But God’s love is something altogether different. It is Agape love which is unconditional, sacrificial, self-giving. “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8.

This love does not wait for us to be worthy. It does not withdraw when we fail. It does not depend on perfection or performance. And yet, in a culture shaped by ego, power, and self-interest, this kind of love can feel rare, even radical. “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." 1 John 4:8. Every genuine expression of love flows from Him. We do not manufacture love, we receive it, and then reflect it. God’s love is unconditional. It is not based on our performance, perfection, or worthiness. Even in our brokenness, He loves us faithfully and fiercely. And nowhere is that love more clearly revealed than in Jesus Christ.

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The love that went to the cross

Have you ever truly considered the kind of love that carried Jesus to the cross? Not love born of obligation. Not love forced by circumstance. But love that chose suffering when escape was possible. Jesus had the power to turn away. He knew the anguish that awaited Him, the betrayal, the mocking, the pain, the nails, the cross. And still, He went forward. For people who did not understand the price He was paying. For people who placed no value on His sacrifice. For sinners. For enemies. For us. “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13. The gospel of Jesus Christ remains the greatest love story ever told. Perhaps that is why it is often summed up in three simple, unfathomable words, Jesus loves you. Not just the faithful. Not just the righteous. But every human being. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8. Understanding that kind of love could take a lifetime, even eternity.

Created for love, not performance

Before the world was broken, love already existed. God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, lived in perfect communion, perfect love, perfect belonging. And out of that overflowing love, humanity was created. You were created by love, for love. “For you created my innermost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb… I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Psalm 139:13–14. Yet so many of us walk through life feeling inadequate, unworthy, unseen. Women are burdened by impossible standards of beauty, success, and perfection. Men are pressured to be strong, stoic, successful, and emotionally silent.

And countless hearts quietly believe the lie: I am not enough. But God’s love gently interrupts that lie. “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3. Everlasting. Unfailing. Unchanging. So many of us are tired, not just physically, but spiritually and emotionally. Tired of striving. Tired of coping. Tired of carrying the weight of the world. And into that weariness, Jesus speaks with extraordinary tenderness: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28. Not escape from reality, but rest within it. Not condemnation, but gentleness. Not more pressure, but grace.

Where the love becomes visible again

So where is the love? It is found wherever God’s people choose compassion over judgment. It is found in forgiveness that costs something. It is found in quiet acts of service that no one applauds. It is found in listening, presence, empathy, compassion and mercy. Because here is the sacred truth: God pours His love into the world through us. "You cannot give what you do not have,” and so we must first receive His love, deeply, personally, honestly. Only then can it flow outward. Love becomes visible again when we - Lift the fallen instead of condemning them. Mourn with those who mourn. Speak life instead of criticism. Forgive quickly and extend grace generously. Build bridges where walls once stood. And sometimes, love looks very small. but heaven never calls it insignificant.

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Why love feels so hard

Love should be simple and yet it feels like the hardest thing to live out. Jesus warned that in the last days, “the love of many will grow cold.” And we see it all around us such as judgment instead of mercy, indifference instead of compassion. Even among those who claim faith, love can feel absent. It has brought me to tears watching how quickly we question what someone did to “deserve” their suffering, instead of being moved with compassion as Jesus was. When the sick came to Him, He did not ask why.

When the outcast approached Him, He did not recoil. When a woman was about to be stoned, He offered mercy. If Jesus could pray forgiveness for those who crucified Him, how can we justify withholding love from anyone? Jesus reduced all commandments to one word: love. “Love the Lord your God… and love your neighbour as yourself.” Matthew 22:37–39. Why? Because when love guides us, it becomes difficult to lose our way. “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?” 1 John 3:17. If we claim to love God yet do not love people, Scripture is painfully honest, we lie.

Loving the unlovables

Here is where love becomes costly. It is easy to love those who love us back. But Christ calls us to more. To love the unlovables. The misunderstood. The broken. The ones whose choices we cannot comprehend. When a poor, sick, or unstable person dies alone, it is not because God failed, it is because we failed to embrace our shared humanity in love. Jesus did not stop at the easily lovable. He went to the margins. To sinners. To outcasts. To those written off as beyond hope. So must we. Be present. Be available. Be the listening ear, the shoulder to cry on, the safe place. We are not called to save people, only God can do that. But we are called to be vessels of His love. Grace shows up. Grace listens. Grace stays. Receive His love first, you cannot give what you do not have. See people as God sees them, worthy, redeemable, beloved. Exchange our hearts for His. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you.” (Ezekiel 36:26). Love in action is listening, valuing, embracing, forgiving. This is the way of the Good Samaritan. This is the way of Christ.

Thought for the week

As your thought for the week, don’t just ask “Where is the love?” Ask instead: “Where can I be love?” Who around you is hurting quietly? Where can you choose kindness instead of indifference? What would it look like to slow down, listen deeply, or serve without being seen? How might God be inviting you to let His love flow through your wounds, not in spite of them. Choose one intentional act of love each day this week, no matter how small and offer it as a prayer in action. Nothing and I mean nothing, can separate us from the love of God. “Neither death nor life… neither the present nor the future… nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38–39. Love has not left this world. God has not abandoned His people. And through His grace, love can still change everything such as one heart, one act, one moment at a time. Love still exists. It has a name. Jesus. “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13. When we choose to love like Christ, especially those hardest to love, we come closest to the heart of God.

Let me leave you with one of my thought provoking prayers - "Loving God, Our world feels wounded, divided, and weary and so do our hearts and souls. We confess that sometimes we grow tired of loving, tired of hoping, tired of caring. Come near to us again. Heal what is broken within us. Remind us who we are in You, beloved, chosen, held. Where love feels absent, make us brave enough to carry it. Where hearts are closed, soften ours first. Where pain is loud, teach us to listen. And where darkness feels overwhelming, let Your love shine through us, gently, faithfully, relentlessly. Make us instruments of Your compassion and peace in a hurting world. Amen