Don't wish for it, work for it!

We are such an uncommitted group of people. Our culture, society, generation, whatever word you want to use to classify us, we're just not loyal to anything. We don't commit to a spouse, to a work out routine, a diet, a friendship, a bible study, a prayer time, disciplining our children, a church and then we wonder why we never see results. God's Word says "Commit your way to the Lord, trust Him and He will act" and "Love the Lord with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength." We don't like to feel uncomfortable. All these talks about participation awards are really because people are lazier than others but they think they should get rewarded just for trying. Like good intentions smeared with love are just as good as love in action. They aren't. Love is hard, not easy. It's easy to say you love someone but showing them that love is almost impossible. Loving like Jesus is something we'll spend our whole lives trying to do and still never understand it. Love in action is giving to someone you don't think deserves it, it's standing next to your spouse when they've broken your heart, its giving boundaries to your children even when they throw a fit because it teaches them obedience not just to their dad but their Father in Heaven. It's offering forgiveness when you haven't received the apology you wanted. It's laying your life down, reaching out, giving away all that you have, not because any one of us deserve it but because God loves us that much and if we're so filled up with Him, we can't help but give some of that lavish love away. To the extent that you receive His love, will be the extent that you can give it away. Believe that God loves you, He is for you, He has a plan for your life to prosper you, give you hope, He knows every word before you speak it, He uses all of your sins for good. He's a gracious God of abundance, He is fun, and He made you to do great and mighty things for His kingdom. But Jesus tells us it won't be easy, it will be uncomfortable and inconvenient. "If any person wants to follow me, he must say 'No' to the things he wants. That person must accept the cross (suffering) that is given to him every day, and he must follow me. The person that wants to save his life will lose it. And every person that gives his life for me will save it. It is worth nothing for a person to have the whole world, if he himself is destroyed or lost. —Luke 9:23-25

So why commit? Why not just be lazy? What's our motivation?

To be great. I believe deep down we all want to be really good at something, to be important, remembered, loved, to be more than just enough. I think if we all look deep inside ourselves and we're honest, there's something we really want but don't think we'll ever get. We doubt God's goodness and faithfulness, but we shouldn't. We can have that thing. We can have that great destiny. God promises it.

"I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for." -Jeremiah 29:11

I'm fortunate that my childhood foundation was built on this verse and its still my why to this day. I want the future I hoped for and dreamed of. HE is the way. That emptiness we all feel sometimes, we can make it go away, if we work for it. If Jesus walked in the room right now and said you can have one request, what would it be? How bad do you want it? He's not trying to withhold anything good from you but you have to faith for it. You may have to give something away...time, money, pride, love, forgiveness, what are you holding on to tighter than Jesus? Because it's holding you back. We have to be willing to do the hard things to get to the greatness He has in store for us. So get up, or get on your knees, but somehow move forward in faith. Don't wish for it, work for it!