Neglecting God

Neglecting God

[Jesus said,] “Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Matthew 11:29-30

God and I both know that this past month has seen a slip in quiet moments spent with my Savior. I’ve let the mundane ordinariness of life dim the sacred connection with my first love.

When I pull away from God, I find myself unable to be the woman I long to be in Christ. A spiral of guilt, striving, and failed expectations sucks me into a place I hate, one where God seems so far away. In these seasons I realize that, on my own, I am not a kind person—at least not in terms of biblical kindness. Without Christ, I am impatient, critical, and selfish with my time. While it is easy to be kind to those I like or love, the no-strings-attached sacrifice of time, energy, and money that Christ requires of his disciples feels like a chore when I stray from him. I am capable of showing Christ’s love only when I am intentionally pursuing God, receiving spiritual renewal from him, and focusing on the sacred teamwork of Christ’s light yoke.

As I sought God’s forgiveness one morning for my recent distance from him, I was reminded of what Jesus told us about taking up his yoke and following him: we are promised rest for our weary souls when we walk closely with Christ, following his directives and his paths rather than the ones we create for ourselves. Jesus, in his grace, leads us faithfully in his way of kindness.

On our own, biblical kindness is impossible as a long-term way of life. However, when we intentionally set aside the time and energy to invest in our personal relationships with Christ—following his lead as we open our hearts, our homes, and our lives—we’ll realize kindness is not a burden but a joyful and holy partnership.

—Julie

— Today’s Act of Kindness —

Spend time listening to worship music, praying, reading Scripture, and admiring God’s creation. Ask him to lead you in his way of kindness.