Whole-hearted love

Our pastor asked a question in the service Sunday morning that made me think.  He asked who loves God with all their heart, all their mind, and all their soul.  Immediately hands went in the air.  I hesitated at first and then put mine up.  However, it caused me to think about what this really means.

Matthew:22:37-40 “Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all our mind” This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself".”  All the Law and the Prophets hand on these two commandments.”

The question remains, how do I do that?  I think a part of this hinges on being thankful for everything in your life, including past and present.  Is there anything that you are not thankful for?  If there is, then it could be blocking you from giving God your whole-hearted love.  Out of a thankful heart flows praise, worship, and obedience. 

I Thessalonians teaches us to give thanks for all things.  Whatever situation you find yourself in, give thanks.

Perhaps you are angry with someone who has wronged you.   Remember that
1 John 4:20 says “If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” 

Determine in your heart not to hold a grudge.  Determine in your heart to forgive everyone who has hurt you.  Choose to replace anger with love.  (Trust me, I’m preaching to myself on this one.)

Why does God allow us to experience painful situations?  It is for our own good.  Yeah, right.  My own good … how could these things be for my good? 

God is teaching us to be overcomers.  He is teaching us that we can trust him in all situations.  He is teaching us to be a conqueror. 

Remember that Romans 8:28 has a conditional statement built into it.

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

It says that it is for those who love God.  Only as you trust God and give thanks can God take that bad situation and turn it into good.  As long as you remain angry, hurt, bitter, unthankful, it can’t work out for good. At that point, you may not even be able to see good if it were there.  You must become thankful.  You must trust God and thank him for the situation.  Only then can you experience the love, peace, and joy that comes from walking with God.

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.” (Psalms 100:4-5)

Going back to my idea about being a conqueror, realize that every time you go through a difficult situation, it isn’t because God doesn’t love you.  It is quite the opposite.  It is because He loves us.

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35 – 39)

When you become thankful in the midst of tragedy and hurt, it becomes a part of your testimony.  It shows God is at work in your life.  When you truly lean on God in the midst of a crisis, it shows your faith to others.  The action of choosing to trust and to praise, shows that you love God with all your heart.