We make things too hard
If the idea of simply spending time with Jesus is new to you, you might be wondering what to do. Or maybe you have had a “quiet time” as part of your spiritual practice for years, but it has become dull or routine.
Spending time with Jesus should not be hard or complicated. Sometimes we make things hard because it “feels” more important or significant if it’s hard. This is a mistake.
We need to give ourselves permission to do the easy things. Today I want to offer one suggestion that can completely change for the better your time with Jesus.
Tell Him you love Him
There are often times when my prayer walk (for those who are new here, my preferred method for spending time with Jesus is a 30-minute walk with Him) is spent simply telling God that I love Him.
Does this sound silly? Shouldn’t I be praying for all of the problems in the world, or for more people to be saved, or some other similarly important things?
Often my prayers are full of these things. But without a doubt there are times when God simply asks me to be with Him and love Him. I believe these times are a gift God gives to me.
The greatest commandment
Someone once asked Jesus this question:
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
And (Jesus) said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. (Matthew 22:36-38)
Go back and read that again. Do you see what Jesus said? The most important thing we can do in obedience to God is love Him with everything we have. Not achieve world peace or solve hunger. Not even saved the lost!
The greatest and first thing we are to do is love God. Full stop.
Why do we think we’re not doing anything important or substantial if all we’re doing is telling Him we love Him? This is wrong. It’s exactly opposite of what Jesus taught.
When we tell God we love Him, we are doing the most important thing we could ever do. We are doing the thing we were created to do.
Next steps
I want you to add this practice of “just being with and loving Jesus” to your time with Him:
- Believe Jesus when He said that the greatest thing you can do is love God with all of your heart, soul, and mind;
- Give yourself permission to do this (!);
- Look for those days when God is calling you to just be with Him and enjoy Him.
If you will do these things, I promise you that your relationship with God will change radically. You will experience more joy and peace that you ever have before. You will become more aware of God’s voice in your heart. And you will have a greater impact for good in the lives of those you love.