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Do You Need to Change Your Relationship with God?
Maybe you already know the Lord, but the way you know him isn’t working for you. You’re not enjoying your relationship with him. You feel like you’re doing godly things—reading your Bible, praying, and serving those in need—but no matter how much time you put in, it never feels like enough.
Here’s the real secret: You can fulfill the commands of the Bible better by falling in love with God than by trying to obey him. It’s funny, the things we do for love. I hate cleaning out the garage—the time, the effort, the trouble. However, my wife feels like the most loved woman in the world when I help her clean out the garage or tackle a big project that needs to be done. It’s better than sending her a dozen roses—well, almost. The point is, I do it because I love her so much that it brings me joy to do something I know she really appreciates.
What we do for God also reveals the extent of our love. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command” (John 14:15, emphasis mine). For years I read that verse this way—“If you love me, you will obey me and prove how much you love me.” But that’s not what he says. He simply says that when we love him, our obedience to him will flow out of our relationship.
So how can we fall in love with God? We can discover more of who he is through the Bible. We can enjoy the fullness of who he is as our Lord, our Savior, and our Creator. This is the fundamental message of the Bible, and yet I often fear that so many have missed it. And we can know him through worship—opening our hearts to him with honesty, sincerity, and humility.
Falling in love with God is just like falling in love with another person. You think about him constantly and want to be with him all the time. You can throw away your checklists and just enjoy spending time together.
Your only desire is to be with him, to enjoy him, to receive what he wants to give you, and to give him everything you have.
I encourage you to have an honest conversation with God today. Tell him how you feel. Tell him where you’re frustrated or afraid of loving him. Spend at least a few minutes listening for his response. And remember, God already loves us more than we can imagine.
Maybe you already know the Lord, but the way you know him isn’t working for you. You’re not enjoying your relationship with him. You feel like you’re doing godly things—reading your Bible, praying, and serving those in need—but no matter how much time you put in, it never feels like enough.
Here’s the real secret: You can fulfill the commands of the Bible better by falling in love with God than by trying to obey him. It’s funny, the things we do for love. I hate cleaning out the garage—the time, the effort, the trouble. However, my wife feels like the most loved woman in the world when I help her clean out the garage or tackle a big project that needs to be done. It’s better than sending her a dozen roses—well, almost. The point is, I do it because I love her so much that it brings me joy to do something I know she really appreciates.
What we do for God also reveals the extent of our love. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command” (John 14:15, emphasis mine). For years I read that verse this way—“If you love me, you will obey me and prove how much you love me.” But that’s not what he says. He simply says that when we love him, our obedience to him will flow out of our relationship.
So how can we fall in love with God? We can discover more of who he is through the Bible. We can enjoy the fullness of who he is as our Lord, our Savior, and our Creator. This is the fundamental message of the Bible, and yet I often fear that so many have missed it. And we can know him through worship—opening our hearts to him with honesty, sincerity, and humility.
Falling in love with God is just like falling in love with another person. You think about him constantly and want to be with him all the time. You can throw away your checklists and just enjoy spending time together.
Your only desire is to be with him, to enjoy him, to receive what he wants to give you, and to give him everything you have.
I encourage you to have an honest conversation with God today. Tell him how you feel. Tell him where you’re frustrated or afraid of loving him. Spend at least a few minutes listening for his response. And remember, God already loves us more than we can imagine.
Scripture
About this Plan
Fresh Air is about to sweep into your life. In this powerful two-week devotional, featuring a daily Scripture verse and note taken from Pastor Chris Hodges’ new book Fresh Air, you’ll be refreshed with insights on how you can revive your spirit and be fueled by God like never before. Take a breath of fresh air . . . and experience what it means to live an “I get to,” not an “I’ve got to,” kind of life every day.
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We’d like to thank Chris Hodges and Tyndale House Publishers for their generosity in providing content adapted from Fresh Air. To learn more about the book, please visit freshairbook.com.
