Many of us live with our cups only half full because we have given God only half our hearts. Why are we afraid to do this?
I believe it’s because we often have a wrong image of God. That’s why we fear His plan.
How we think of Him will always be the filter for our first emotional reaction. Unfortunately, when we think God is asking us to give up something, like our private throne room, we conclude the worst. We forget that He gave up His own Son for us.
So, we react badly. Often our first response is, “God knows I can’t do that. He is setting me up for failure. Why would God want that? That is so difficult. That doesn’t seem like fun. He’s a killjoy.”
If we don’t know our God’s heart for us, we will project our selfish hearts. If God’s love is what He says it is, God could never ask us for something that is not for our highest good.
God is looking into an absolute law that requires Him only to seek our good. When God wants our hearts to have Jesus as the centerpiece, it’s not to make us less joyous but more joyous. It’s not to make us less satisfied but more satisfied. It’s not to make us less fulfilled but more fulfilled.
“‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” -Isaiah 55:8-9
God knows the beginning and the end. He knows the blessings He wants to give us when we say, “Yes,” to Him and the consequences when we say, “No.” He has all the power and authority in Heaven and Earth.
If every CEO, president, boss, general, and manager is under His feet, can’t we find many good reasons to offer our hearts to Him?
“‘Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.’” –Matthew 10:39
How can our Lord say something like that unless He intends to pour out His marvelous blessings and presence upon us?
To this reality, we must respond, “Lord, my heart is for your pleasure.” Jesus certainly understood this when He prayed the words, “‘… yet not my will, but yours be done (Luke 22:42).’”
Lord Jesus, thank You for following the will of the Father and making Your heart like the Father’s heart!
Because He gave His life, we may now live. Let’s take a chance on believing that whatever God is asking us to do is not only for His great pleasure but also for our best interest.
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