(I’m speaking out of conviction today, so I’m sorry if this post is a little harsher than usual.) I decided to reread Crazy Love by Francis Chan. For those who haven’t yet read this book, it’s convicting. Francis Chan speaks a great deal of truth in this book; truth I wasn’t ready to hear.
“The irony is that while God doesn’t need us but still wants us, we desperately need God but don’t really want Him most of the time. He treasures us and anticipates our departure from this earth to be with Him – and we wonder, indifferently, how much we have to do for Him to get by.”
I had no idea how to even process this. I don’t think we, myself included, truly understand how mighty our God is. We take Him out of our back pocket when times are hard, then put Him back when things are going our way. That is not the relationship that God desired to have with us and this is something we should not be taking lightly. God is the most powerful being that has ever lived and will ever live. He gives our bodies the strength to wake up every morning, live our lives, go to bed, and repeat this process the next day. So, who are we that we should feel entitled to have a life? We don’t deserve any of the gifts that God continues to bless us with. So, why are we living out our relationship with the Lord as if it isn’t a priority?
We aren’t needed by God and we’d be crazy to think that we are. But the beauty of His love shows us how much He loves us. Jesus Christ died a grueling, painful and undeserved death just so we could spend eternity in Heaven with Him. How much more should we reflect that love and devotion to God because of His sacrifice? We don’t deserve grace, life, mercy, love, eternity, you name it. We need to stop living with a sense of entitlement that this life is ours. We need to stop slacking in our relationship with the Lord. Friends, we need to start living like Christians.
As I began to digest this part of the book, I had to evaluate my relationship with my Savior. I encourage you to do the same. What are the areas that need work? What actions should be stopped in your life? As you work through these tough questions, I encourage you to find someone to hold you accountable. Be vulnerable with these struggles. Be praying through the changes as you make them. God wants nothing more than a relationship with you. How humbling is that? I’m excited for this stage in your life, friends. Allow God to work and move!
Author: Nicole Presley
**Thoughts for this post came from Francis Chan’s book, Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God