“Chance, after chance, after chance, after chance…”

I wonder if God ever gets tired of giving us grace. I wonder if His mercy moans in the sight of our wavering faith and continual fickleness towards Him. “If you love me, you’ll keep my commandments” (John 14:15). By that standard, most of us (myself included) are struggling in our love for God. Why is it so hard to obey God, the entity, Father, and friend that loves us most.

I personally believe that it’s not hard to love God (especially when you really relate and connect with the various definitions and truths of His character; God graciously inspires love in us all. I propose that the central issue for most people who struggle in their faith and relationship with God is their inability to love God most. Prioritizing love for God comes at a cost: especially within the Christian faith. As a Christian and true born again believer, you’re continually prompted to surrender: surrender your will, surrender your desires, surrender your affections, surrender your attachments, surrender yourself. A sacrifice for a sacrifice. A life for a life.

This existential and spiritual exchange of the human will for God’s will is radical to some, unnecessary to others ,  and unorthodox to most; so, naturally there will always be human resistance around fully committing one’s acts and life to God. This resistance to being “God-governed” stems from our natural inclination to be independent and self-serving: we want what we want and reject things that don’t give us “feel good” feelings. Mentally we are perverted. Ethics and morals are subjective. But, the narrative of God and Jesus say something different: righteousness is obtainable and necessary to entering the kingdom of God. This means that there is no room for sin, inequity, and transgressions against God: his standard is the key and expected to be upheld. But, holiness has never been held well in human hands. Leaving man to his own vices leads him to disobey God again and again. Love for self has become the new standard for living within the world. Resisting self-fulfillment and self-gratification seems futile.

A choice to change. Choosing to commit to change. A shift. That is what God requires. That is what God invites us into within the Gospel. A life for a life. Faith for freedom from sin. “Repentance” in Hebrew means to “return” or “turn back.” This is what believers are called to do when they drift or wander away from the grace and presence. When we turn against Him or reject Him though disobedience, God invites us to return to Him. Jesus is always seeking relationship, communion, and fellowship with the beloved of God, but our receptiveness to Him and His countless attempts of intervention, correction, and conviction are dependent on our heart posture towards God.

I once heard this voice clip of Phillip Anthony Mitchell; within in it, he said, in order to deal aggressively with sin you must increase your love for God. To love God is to reverence Him and desire to be a disciple and follower of Christ. I life committed towards following Jesus is not always practical or perfect in execution; however, where the heart is where action(s) follow. People effortlessly depict what or who they love most  through their choices.

When I find myself struggling with repetitive sin and iniquity, I notice how closed off I am relationally to God. Whereas when I am disciplined and rooted in acts of faith, I have noticed that I feel close and deeply connected to God.

I’m not sure where you are personally in your own faith journey. I personally can attest to the goodness, mercy, favor, and grace of God. Jesus has continually worked miracles in my midst. My various and reoccurring spiritual encounters with God assure me of my faith and help me to run to Him as well as trust Him in my deepest moments of need.

It’s not always easy to “pick up your cross and walk” (reference: Matthew 16:24-26 & Scootie Wop’s CROSSWALK).

However, the life and spiritual wealth from walking with God is matchless: no else in this earth compares to Him.

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“H.E.R.” Prayer:

Dear God,

I pray for forgiveness from You. I pray You would hear my heart as it loudly speaks through dark and quiet moments. I have sinned. I’ve been sinning, and falling short of your glory. I pray Your Grace would cover me and the peace of Your spirit would engulf me with all truth, wisdom, and love. God give me fresh insight and understanding of your love again. And please wrap me in the intimacy of your longing arms. I pray for my heart to be bound to you always and that You would be my Lord, My Rock, My Healer, My Love, and my savior. Forgive me for being lead astray. Bring me back into covenant and fellowship with you. Heal the parts of me that are so quick to forget how much you mean to me. Redeem my spirit, save my soul, and bind my flesh. Please help me to better understand and the truth of your ways. Forgive my disobedience and arrogance and help me to better understand child-like in faith. May my prayers, praises, and worship of you be a sweet fragrance to your senses. Receive my heart in your hands. And do not ever keep me from your throne. Help me to better understand Your ways. Allow me to be renewed and returned to you once more. I pray that you would help those that I love see more of your goodness, grace, and mercy. I pray every one that I am connected to would turned from wickedness and run fervently towards your truth, light, and grace.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen.