In the book of Romans, Paul begs Christians to give their entire lives over to God because God sacrificed everything for them. Jesus gave up His life so that we could experience His unending love and grace. We cheapen His gifts if we refuse to align our lives with the way Jesus lived.
A reason to pursue God
But we give our lives to God by making Him the one thing we pursue above anything else. It’s not always easy to live a life of faith but what else is there? Should we go on with life attempting to forget about God and throw away everything we’ve learned and experienced? Absolutely not! It takes zero effort to walk away from our faith. And I can tell you by personal experience, it’s not worth it.
If you currently don’t have friends in your life who share your faith, then you can expect your walk with God to be twice as challenging. Similarly, if you have health & fitness goals you want to achieve you most likely wouldn’t surround yourself with people who are lazy and eat junk food.
So, right now, if you don’t have friends in your life that reflect who you are and who you want to become, I encourage you to put forth 100% of your effort into making all of those necessary changes. Begin immediately and don’t look back! You have a destiny to fulfill!!
Five steps to help you put God first
If there was ever a time to kick-start your walk with God, I believe these practical steps will prove to be effective in life when nothing else seems to bring you peace. It’s a great place to begin.
1. Give thanks
“We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near. We recount your wondrous deeds.” Psalms 75:1 ESV
Right now, take a moment to thank God for what He’s already done for you. Reflect on His faithfulness and recount the stories you have seen and heard of His wonderful power. And if life has been too painful to find something to give thanks for, try to be optimistic even if it seems impossible.
2. Spend 5 minutes in silence
“Abide in me, and I in you.” John 15:4 ESV
Abiding in Jesus starts with stillness. So right now, pause, take a deep breath, and give anything concerning you over to God. Spend 5 minutes centering your heart on the One who matters most.
3. Remember Whose you are
“You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV
God loves you. The price He paid for you cost Him everything. So remind yourself of Whose you are, and reflect on some of the things God says about you.
4. Meditate on God’s Word
“Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.” Psalms 119:97 ESV
One of the best ways to find out how Jesus wants you to live is by spending time in Scripture. As you do, ask God to speak to you through His Word about what His will is. If you want to learn more about the Bible, be sure to check out our recent post: Learn the Bible in 24 hours
5. Focus on what is excellent
“…If there is any excellence … think about these things.” Philippians 4:8 ESV
You have been given the mind of Christ. If you’re not sure what you should think about, try asking yourself: What is praiseworthy? What thoughts and actions would honor God?
A reason to remain focused
Make a list of whatever Good Things come to mind and pursue them. Because we are 100% responsible for keeping ourselves motivated, we must focus on what is good and maintain a positive mindset. If you need to ‘avoid’ watching the news and scrolling through social media to quiet your mind, then do it. Don’t let anything or anyone steal your peace.
A reason to invest your time
By practicing these steps every day, you can create habits that will help you pursue intimacy with God by putting Him first above everything else. Like all things in life, consistent, daily habits can seem simple and insignificant at first but like the power of compounding interest in the financial world, the time we invest with God yields a supernatural return on investment.
This post is part of the daily devotional found in the YouVersion Bible App.
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