Our minds are tugged this way and that by multiple concerns. Consistent devotion to God is a habit that must be acquired, a skill that must be learned. Like most other good things, godliness takes training, discipline, and regular practice over time.
If God is real, then His reality must be allowed to cut down into the very quick of our conscience. We must be transformed. We must pay more than lip service to the truth that God’s word is “living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.”
Selfish regret is destructive, but our regret need not come from a selfish heart. If our hearts are turned toward God, then pure regret can be a gently poignant reminder of our continuing need for His grace, part of the hunger that brings us to Him.
As life moves on and our decisions multiply, it becomes more and more obvious what kind of stuff we’re made of. When the end comes and we stand before our Maker for His judgment, the evidence will be irrefutable. We will have chosen our destiny.
“Your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” Who among us can read these words and not think of penitent steps that we need to take so that God can show His love to us?
Some things are not revealed to us, but what God has revealed is the truth about His character, heart, and values. He patiently waits for us to be more interested in these things and less interested in what the future may hold for us in this life.
If we don’t love God as we used to, there are some specific things we can do to rectify that problem. One of these would be to take some time off, go to a restful place, and remember — really remember — how we used to love Him.
There are few things in the world that might not jeopardize our souls under some circumstances. But whatever threatens to cut us off from God, we should let go of that thing immediately. If the house is burning, leave your stuff and get out of there!
Because of our own choices, those whom we need to be connected to, especially God, have turned their backs to us — and not without justification. We are not only alone; we are alone because we’ve been abandoned . . . because of our own misdeeds.
If God exists, we need to take Him with utter seriousness. We must not relegate spiritual truths to a secondary status. To be people of faith means we’re committed to the massive continents of truth that lie beyond our present horizons.