Do you know the meaning of love? The dictionary defines it as a strong affection between two people due to personal or kinship ties, whereas lust is defined as an intense desire or longing for something. Understanding what it means to lust vs love someone is an important step to achieving a happy and healthy relationship.

Lust in marriage can be destructive, regardless of whether it is directed towards your spouse or someone else. This is because lust in itself is essentially a selfish desire for gratification and has little to do with satisfying the other person’s needs. It causes you to view your spouse as an object to be used, as opposed to someone with needs of his or her own. This is a violation of God’s will.

When you love someone, you are more concerned about their happiness and desires before your own. This is the meaning of love. You are respectful and thoughtful towards your partner, which enables your marriage to grow and survive tough situations.

How do you Know When it is Lust vs Love?

Selfish or extra-marital fantasies are the two main marks of lust in marriage.  It’s no wonder that lust in marriage almost always leads to infidelity. The main problem with lustful desires is that they cannot be fulfilled. Any attempts to fulfill them only serve to fuel them and can lead to addiction.

Overcoming Lust in Marriage

The best antidote for lust is love. Love is all about being considerate about your partner’s needs, desires and feelings. It leaves no room for selfish or extra –marital lust, which can hurt your partner. Love must exist between you and your spouse if you are to have a lust-free and lasting marriage.

Another way to overcome lust is to avoid temptation. Lust often occurs in combination with frustration and anger. Spouses are more likely to yield to lustful desires when they are stressed or frustrated about their marriages. This is often referred to as the anger/lust cycle.

To break this cycle, you must, first, acknowledge its existence and, secondly, avoid the temptation to get angry or frustrated about the state of your marriage. Without anger and frustration, you will have no need for the temporary euphoric effect that comes with lust.

While many married people cannot fathom the idea that lust can exist within marriage, lots of other couples struggle with this issue every day. Lust is the complete opposite of love. It is selfish, and it lacks thoughtfulness. It’s no wonder that love always wins in the battle of lust vs love.