So You Think You Love Him?

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.


1 John 5:3

Your obedience to God's commands is the most accurate reflection of the measure of your love for God. It's easy to love God when you're passionate about what God is doing through you. It is sometimes even easy to love God the midst of trials, if you are firmly grounded in the knowledge that He is your support, and the One who will bring you through the suffering. It becomes very difficult, however, to love God when He brings correction, or when He directs your life in the opposite direction of your will for your life.

If there is an area of your life where you are not honoring God, He will be faithful to point it out. It may be through His Word, or through prayer, or even through the word of someone close to you. But He will bring it to your attention, and the most important part about it is not how He makes it known, or even what He reveals to you, but how you respond to His commands.

When God reveals a sin issue in your life, the only appropriate response is immediate and reckless obedience to His will. But you must also love God's correction. Simply obeying the Word of God is only half of loving Him. The other half is being filled with gratefulness and worship because God has such an amazing plan for you that He meets with you personally and intimately to make sure that you're ready.

Do not let the will of God be a burden on your life. If you really want to love God with all your heart, then joyfully and thankfully apply His correction. Not to say this is any simple feat. It requires a severe death to yourself and your flesh, and it requires an unearthly amount of humility. And ask God to tear down the walls of your pride and He will be faithful to do so. Do you love God? Start living like it.