My family has always been what some might describe as ‘textbook Christian’: We go to church every Sunday, and attend fellowships and retreats. We read the Bible, join Bible study groups, and hold Bible study sessions at home. We believe that a family that prays together stays together.

And yet, it has always been painful for me to see how much conflict and tension we have in our home.

My friends once lamented to me how hard it was to form new friendships once we hit a certain age. Having spent a large part of my life moving towns and countries, I know too well the pain of having to start all over again and make new friends.

On the surface, we might’ve looked like a happily-in-love couple, but beneath this façade were fears, misunderstandings, anger, and doubts built up due to silent treatments and unresolved arguments.

We’re all drawn to building our lives on the foundations of money, success, and recognition.

I will confess that I, too, was like that—wanting to be recognised for doing amazing things and to have wealth that would place me somewhere near the top of the social strata.

How we perceive love does not just apply to our relationships with other people, it also affects our relationship with God. One of the profound tenets of faith is that God is a God of love.