- Asking myself honestly and regularly: Is God FIRST?
"But the fact is that nothing should concern us more than our relationship with God; it's about eternity, and nothing compares with that. God is not someone who can be tacked on to our lives." (p. 96)
"Do you believe that wholehearted commitment to Him is more important than any other thing or person in your life?" (p. 97)
Yes, I believe that. But my life does not often reflect that. It is easy to get stuck in the busyness and pleasure (and sometimes sorrow or hardship) of daily life and forget that all I have and am is from God, and that my life's purpose is to bring Him honor and glory and partner with Him in His kingdom work in this world. I am reflecting on what it would look like if I lived wholeheartedly for God in the spaces and the people I am with, and in my own intimate life with Him. And I know that I'm not there. I am totally living for my family and community and tacking God on. Two years ago, my coworker challenged herself, and it in turn challenged me, to ask throughout the day, "God, what would you have me do right now?" It kept my focus on God, and off me, and I am going to take up this practice again.
"...the solution isn't to try harder, fail, and then make bigger promises, only to fail again. It does no good to muster up more love for God, to will yourself to love Him more. When loving Him becomes obligation, one of many things we have to do, we end up focusing even more on ourselves... Are we just fooling ourselves that we really can be in love with God and that it is more satisfying than anything else? I don't believe so." (p. 103)
Me either, Francis. I've tasted being in love with God, and living fully in the light of Christ's love, and I am thirsty and hungry for more!! I will put in the time - reading God's word and seeking Him in prayer, for example. And I will continue to trust that He will meet me, and nurture me and grow me, and desires to fill me with more and more of Him. He is and will continue to grow this love. And this love can only be great when I'm not convincing myself that it's my sole responsibility to do the work of making it great, aka focusing on me and my effort more than on God and His grace and mercy.
3. Focusing on my RELATIONSHIP with God.
"When you are pursuing love, running toward Christ, you do not have opportunity to wonder, Am I doing this right? or "Did I serve enough this week?" When you are running toward Christ, you are freed up to serve, love, and give thanks without guilt, worry, or fear. As long as you are running, you are safe... if we train ourselves to run toward our Refuge, toward Love, we are free - just as we are called to be... It is when we stop actively loving Him that we find ourselves restless and gravitating toward other means of fulfillment" (p. 104)
As a doer, this is such a good reminder for me! My focus shouldn't be on the doing, but on the being with God; on pursuing Him and quieting myself to feel Him pursuing me. I only want to live, and move and have my being (Acts 17:28) out of the reality and space of God's great love. Imagine a life drenched in Christ's love. A life compelled by Christ's love alone. He offers this, and I don't want to settle for anything short of it!!
Are you wondering how in the heck to start doing this? Francis encourages being real with God! He writes:
"...tell Him how you feel. Tell Him that He isn't the most important thing in this life to you, and that you're sorry for that. Tell Him that you've been lukewarm, that you've chosen ________ over Him time and time again. Tell him that you want Him to change you, that you long to genuinely enjoy Him. Tell Him how you want to experience true satisfaction and pleasure and joy in your relationship with Him. Tell him..." (p. 111).
Seriously tell Him, friend, because He is arms and heart wide open for you! Gave His one and only Son for you! Is full of unconditional love for you! And His love is better than life!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment