In our relationships with family and friends, we seek affirmation of love through their words and actions. The same applies to our relationship with the Lord. While we often turn to God for our needs, we may overlook that He desires us to demonstrate our love for Him by obeying and following Him.
In John 21:15, Jesus challenged Peter by asking him, "Do you love Me more than these?" Jesus desired Peter to commit himself more fully to God and His purposes for his life. This question prompted Peter to reflect on whether he loved Jesus more than the people and things around him. Likewise, it is a question we should also ask ourselves from time to time. God often tests our love and devotion for Him through difficult and painful times to reveal what our hearts desire most. The Lord desires our hearts to be fully committed to Him and His plan for our lives. Amid our busy pursuits, we must remember 2 Corinthians 5:15, which reminds us not to live for ourselves but for Him who died and rose again for us.
Why do we spend most of our time and resources on things that don't provide lasting satisfaction? We settle for less seeking temporary gratification instead of pursuing the much greater joy that comes from drawing closer to the Lord. So, I ask you: do you love the Lord more than these?
If you are struggling in this area, ask the Lord each day to give you a deeper desire for Him and more grace to spend time with Him and His word daily. Just as we dedicate time and effort to things that may be less important, we should also prioritize our relationship with the Lord. However, we can’t accomplish this on our own. Our problems arise when we rely solely on our strength. We may start the new year with a strong determination to improve our time spent with the Lord and invest in the lives of others, but after a few weeks, our commitment begins to wane. This decline occurs because we have failed to depend on the Lord and His boundless resources to guide us in living a life that pleases Him.
Jesus said in John 15:5 - “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for without Me, you can do nothing.” To abide in Him means to remain connected to Him. When we spend quality time with the Lord, it will result in bearing much fruit. If you can’t find time to be with Him, ask God for wisdom on how to prioritize your daily activities. By nature, we tend to drift away from the Lord. so it's important to seek Him daily. If your heart has grown indifferent to God, pray and ask Him to restore the joy you first felt at your salvation and to renew your heart in response to Him.
Psalm 16:11 states, “You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence, there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” There is no greater joy and satisfaction than knowing Him and being in His presence daily. I encourage you to prioritize your time with the Lord daily, for true joy and contentment await you.