It’s a crazy thing to think that just a few short months ago I was lost and didn’t know what the love of Jesus could do for my life. I mean I knew who Jesus was and I had accepted him as my savior, but relationship? What is relationship with someone who’s not here with me? Oh. How I was mistaken. I had no clue what Jesus was about to do for me and is still doing for me. You see he is here with me and he was seeking relationship from me, but I couldn’t see him because I had hardened my heart. I had turned to earthly things and tried to find satisfaction in everything that wasn’t him and what I found was that the satisfaction was temporary and always fading. From the outside looking in no one would ever know that I was struggling and felt lost. But Jesus!… He works in mysterious ways. Little did I know that Jesus was about to place someone in my life that wouldn’t let me hide behind my smile and that would call me out and tell me that I needed to spend time with Jesus.
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Spend time with Jesus? What does that even mean?
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Who did she think she was to tell me I needed to spend time with Jesus? I know Jesus and I love him too… at least I thought I did. I was surely mistaken. I had no clue who Jesus was and how he was about to impact my life. Every conversation we had she would end with, “Girl… you need to spend time with Jesus.” My response was always I spend time with Jesus, but inside I knew I didn’t and the hardness of my heart wouldn’t let me admit otherwise. But those words continued to resonate within me and wouldn’t leave my mind. So I started to read my bible just to say that I spent time with Jesus. While my intentions to spend time with Jesus was not for relationship, that’s what I ended up finding. Seeing Gods love radiate from my friend and working through her made me want to experience that love. Through spending time with Jesus, I realized that his love is all powerful. I started to spend more time with him, I started to pray for deeper relationship. I started going to church and spending time in Christ centered community, I started to spend time in worship and before I knew I found myself completely all in. I found myself falling in love with Jesus.
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My heart was hardened but God shattered that wall and broke me down so that I could experience his love (Hebrews 4:12). While I am still a work in progress I find peace in knowing that Gods words are true. Gods promise is true. Gods love is true. He said, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6, Hebrews 13:5).” He promised us peace of mind and heart (John 14-17). God loved us so much that he gave his one and only son that who ever loves and accepts him shall have eternal life (John 3:16). What greater love is there than someone who would lay his life down for his friend (John 15:13). This is the love of God and no one else can provide it. Know matter what I did, God forgave me, took away my shame, and made me a new creation in him (2 Corinthians 5:17). I wanted that love and through seeking relationship with him I found that love. I stopped letting my circumstances determine my relationship with God and I have started letting my relationship with God determine my circumstances. His love is true and it breaks down all barriers once you let it in!!! I plan to be faithful in that. I plan to tell everyone of the good news and the love that God has for us. In every Gospel (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) we have been commissioned to GO and make disciples and whether that’s overseas or here at home I plan to be obedient to his word. God is so good, and I plan to tell everyone I encounter how good he is and how great his love for us is!!!
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Spend time with Jesus is my new motto!!! The more time you spend with a person, the better you get to know them and the more you fall in love with them. If we don’t spend time with Jesus, how can we know him. Sometimes it may seem tedious, but the end results are amazing. Its hard to spend time with someone who you can’t physically see, but his presence his in you and if you spend time with him you will experience it and your relationship will grow deeper. Its just like building a relationship with your best friend. You became best friends by spending time together and getting to know each other and through that you found love for each other. It is the same with Jesus. Spend time with him and you will know him, and he is good and faithful and true!
