Have you ever wondered to yourself, "Why bother?" I mean, we can get by on our own just fine. We can take care of ourselves. We make good decisions. We can map out our own destinies and be quite the success, without help from anyone, thank you very much. So why should we bother with prayer? We have much to get done and time on our knees is just "time-a-wastin." And I had enough book learning back in school, so much so I never want to crack another book again . . . ahh-no disrespect meant to the Bible God. Besides, how serious do I really have to be about this walking with God stuff? He sees what all I have to do, so He is not that serious . . . is He?
We have all been here, haven't we? It is really tough to be devoted. Time is the one thing we simply do not have enough of and it shrinks everyday. So, what are we to do? What does God want from us? Well, its true, He desires our full devotion and attention. But we make it hard on ourselves because we miss a very important point. That is, while God does desire an intimate relationship with each of use, He does not REQUIRE it. Think about that for a moment.
The difference between desire and require makes all the difference in the world. It is natural for us to think He requires it. We grow up learning to fulfill the requirements of others. From the time we first understand the difference between yes and no we begin meeting the requirements of others every day. So when we think about prayer, Bible study, going to church, etc, we tend to put those things on our have-to-do list, not our-want-to-do list. So they become responsibilities, not joys. No wonder just thinking about them can wear us out.
But think about your want-to-do list for a moment. You look forward to doing what is on that list, don't you? Thinking about that list inspires you, gets you off the couch, moves you to action and is always exciting and fulfilling. What is on your list? Is it gardening, sewing, cooking, woodwork, music, dancing, your family, antiques? Whatever it is, God just desires to be on that list as well. And He isn't going to take your list away and make your life dull and boring. Again, He just desires to be on the list.
He knows that the best relationships, the most rewarding relationships, are voluntary, want-to relationships, so He waits patiently. And if we don't come around and don't put Him on our want-to-do lists, its no skin off His nose. Its just some fun times we will be missing out on. He doesn't drag us, pushing and screaming, into a close relationship with Him. He leaves it up to us. So if God seems like a drudgery and spending time with Him a chore, its not because they are. Its because we have made them so in our own minds.
Thinking of prayer and Bible study as hobbies may be too casual for some. So take this or leave it. But for me, thinking of them more in that light helped me begin to see them as something I was eager to do, activities I looked forward to engaging in; and time spent in them began to fly. Why? because they were on my want-to-do list, not my have-to-do list.
We have all been here, haven't we? It is really tough to be devoted. Time is the one thing we simply do not have enough of and it shrinks everyday. So, what are we to do? What does God want from us? Well, its true, He desires our full devotion and attention. But we make it hard on ourselves because we miss a very important point. That is, while God does desire an intimate relationship with each of use, He does not REQUIRE it. Think about that for a moment.
The difference between desire and require makes all the difference in the world. It is natural for us to think He requires it. We grow up learning to fulfill the requirements of others. From the time we first understand the difference between yes and no we begin meeting the requirements of others every day. So when we think about prayer, Bible study, going to church, etc, we tend to put those things on our have-to-do list, not our-want-to-do list. So they become responsibilities, not joys. No wonder just thinking about them can wear us out.
But think about your want-to-do list for a moment. You look forward to doing what is on that list, don't you? Thinking about that list inspires you, gets you off the couch, moves you to action and is always exciting and fulfilling. What is on your list? Is it gardening, sewing, cooking, woodwork, music, dancing, your family, antiques? Whatever it is, God just desires to be on that list as well. And He isn't going to take your list away and make your life dull and boring. Again, He just desires to be on the list.
He knows that the best relationships, the most rewarding relationships, are voluntary, want-to relationships, so He waits patiently. And if we don't come around and don't put Him on our want-to-do lists, its no skin off His nose. Its just some fun times we will be missing out on. He doesn't drag us, pushing and screaming, into a close relationship with Him. He leaves it up to us. So if God seems like a drudgery and spending time with Him a chore, its not because they are. Its because we have made them so in our own minds.
Thinking of prayer and Bible study as hobbies may be too casual for some. So take this or leave it. But for me, thinking of them more in that light helped me begin to see them as something I was eager to do, activities I looked forward to engaging in; and time spent in them began to fly. Why? because they were on my want-to-do list, not my have-to-do list.
I am enjoying your blogs. I finally got fixed to post, I think.
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