“I want deliberately to encourage this mighty longing after God. The lack of it has brought us to our present low estate. The stiff and wooden quality about our religious lives is a result of our lack of holy desire. Complacency is a deadly foe of all spiritual growth. Acute desire must be present or there will be no manifestation of Christ to His people. He wants to be wanted. Too bad that with many of us He waits so long, so very long, in vain.”
~A.W. Tozer~
Complacency is a worm that eats away until it gets to our core. At that point, we become numb to the longings of our heart. We are created to worship God. Yet our world twisted our longings. Now religion is a dirty word. One I too cring at. I don’t want to be labeled as “religious.” That’s offensive to me. Religion sucks the life out of believers. Like robots, we shuffle around checking man-made boxes.
I went to church. Check.
I attended Bible study. Check.
I gave my offering. Check.
I had a quiet time. Check.
What’s the point? Are we trying to appear holy? Are we trying to earn our way to heaven? What about relationship?
I’m tired of being robotic.
The Black Eyed Peas has a wonderful song that speaks volumes to me. Especially the chorus.
(Please pause my music player to watch the video, should you choose. The player is on the right side of my blog, scroll down. Thanks.)
“Where is the LOVE? Where is the love? the love? the love?”
Christ’s love should be what compels us to pursue relationship with him. And out of that filling, we can pour our lives as a drink offering to those around us.
I’m the first to admit I struggle with being lukewarm in my faith. Sometimes I feel the fire and I’m blazing with a desire for God. Other times, my worldly desires rain on my flame and I am just a wet, smoldering wick. I need a fresh fire from God. I want his life to my very breath, my words, and my actions.
Come, Lord Jesus! I need you. I need your love. Help me squish my worm of complacency!
Thank you to Debbie at Chocolate and Coffee for hosting this week’s In Other Words.
Tiffany, You’re right – it’s all about love. His love compels us, motivates us, infuses us and causes us to overflow with love for Him in return.
I’m the first to admit I struggle with being lukewarm in my faith. Sometimes I feel the fire and I’m blazing with a desire for God. Other times, my worldly desires rain on my flame and I am just a wet, smoldering wick…..
I’m standing right beside you girl(likely battling you for first somedays)….KEEP THAT FLAME BURNING!!
It’s the lukewarmness that will kill us!:)
It IS all about HIS love!!
I’m taking a big blessing away!!
thanks for sharing!
lori
Ha! I want to squish that worm with you! 🙂
Blessings…
Hey Tiffany,
Wow, this was great…painful, but true.
What a struggle we all face daily.
“Christ’s love should be what compels us to pursue relationship with him. And out of that filling, we can pour our lives as a drink offering to those around us.”
A statement I will not forget!
Blessings…
This was an awesome post! Thanks for sharing from your heart. It really spoke to me.
Blessings!
Tiffany—I find myself cringing too. I think Jesus cringed when he was talking about the Pharasees (sp)…I so agree with you on this post. I too—have such a hard time at “dealing” with life that I forget where I am and what it’s all about! I have done the “check-check-check”…feeling no satisfaction in the results. I determine to get out of that rut (a rut is just a grave w/both ends knocked out!) and get on with living for Christ…being a determined follower….but the journey is not an easy one….nor is it for the weak…sometimes (my fault totally) my strength seems to wane…but I strive on. Like “young mother” that I talked a bit about today…she struggles so…but she strives on.
This is a wonderful post. Gives me so much to think about.
Thank you Tiffany! It seems many of us are on the same page in what God is patiently trying to teach us.
Have you read Justice in the Burbs by Will and Lisa Samson? I’m reading it now…
ooooh, I identify with everything you are writing. Bless you for sharing your heart.
Hey Tiffany,
I have a little surprise for you. Please stop by my page and pick it up!
Blessings!
So very true.