The Bonnie Rait song is playing through my mind right now. I used to LOVE that song in my weepy teenage years and would dramatically play it over and over in my bedroom. Anyone else love that song?
Anyway, this morning I was reading my Bible and I read the passage "Be still and know that I am God. " I decided to be still and start praying. :) In my head, I uttered the words "Make me love you more, Lord." And almost immediately I felt Him saying, "I cannot make you love me". I realized the obsurdity of my statement. It goes against his nature to make me love him. I thought to myself, 'then how can I learn to love him more?' I remembered something I learned after being a mother one time around with Noah. I stupidly tried to make Noah sleep---something he tried with every ounce of his being not to do. When Wesley came around, the wisdom appeared that I couldn't make Wesley sleep. I could only give him opportunities to sleep. He would have to do the rest. And obviously, after awhile, he learned to sleep when I gave him those opportunities. God brought that to mind, I think, to tell me that he is constantly giving me opportunities to love Him more. Whether I notice them and take advantage is completely up to me.
Very rarely do I feel these clear lessons appear mentally while praying. So I hope me putting it to paper (or computer screen) helps you in some way in your desire to love God more. I believe one easy way is to find the wonder of his creation===especially here at fall time. So pretty! Please leave a comment if there is something that helps you in your journey to love God more.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
I can't make you love me..........
Posted by April Spicer at 10/27/2009 08:16:00 AM
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Spending focused time with Him every day ... reading my Bible everyday ... posting His word and His promises all over my house ... speaking of Him on purpose in my dialogue every day ... purposely taking opportunity aloud and in my mind to just dialogue with Him and praise Him. These are some of the things that draw me closer. These are habits I am working to glean in myself and my children. He is so good I want every fiber of my being to ooze Him. Someday .... :) I pray often for Him to break my heart for what breaks His and to open the eyes of my heart to see what He is doing in our lives so I don't miss anything. I also write it down in my journals ... all the God moments. Some days, most days, it simply blows me away! Love you!
I love when God puts the same subject on people's heart as He does mine. You hit a subject I think about so often. Thanks for the wonderful link to love and our children...it sure does make things a little bit clearer when I tend to complicate it so. Something that helps me love God, is simply remembering His sacrifice for me. But I do struggle with my passionate love for Jesus..it is so easy to become dull and complacent in my relationship with Him.
Still pondering your blog...something else that is practical and biblical when it comes to "loving God more" is loving others. "When you do this to the least of these, you do it to Me" Jesus said (my paraphrase). My love for God grows when I love others. I tend to think of that in terms of missions and service projects, etc, but that can even mean loving my husband and kids right here in my home...sometimes tougher to do than the former. Again, thanks for sharing and getting me to think and hopefully, to love!
Thanks girls! Rebecca I love what you said about loving others. It's so true. When I allow myself to really love---the way God intended--I do find myself loving God right back. But it is hard to do that---it means you are available and open to heartache---something I can't bear. I appreciate your thoughts!
I, too, have learned so much about God through my kids. I know that God uses that regularly to illustrate what he's been trying to teach me for sometimes years!
Hey girl,
I'm catching up on my fav blogs, finally! Great to hear from you!
I feel like having a kid has been one of the most profound events in my life to teach me about God. He is constantly revealing Himself to me, either through Cameron, or by showing me glimpses of Himself and how he feels about me as his child. Not that we ever fully get it, but I think it's easier to imagine how God loves us and gets frustrated with us through our own love, frustrations, and struggles with our own kids. It's a revelation!
Love and miss you girl!
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