Extract from Love, God and Relationships

 

Love, God & Relationships explores the reasons why it is important to put God first in your life and the different ways you are able to honour Him. This book encapsulates how living for God is not always easy but there are reasons why it is worth it.

Here is an extract from the book:

Chapter 3 – Why putting God first in your life and relationship is worth it

There are days when I question whether it is worth suffering for Christ as I try to live my life out for Him each day. Although it is hard to honour God during bad days and some can be easier than others, I always try to think of the positives and remember how blessed I am. I tend to wonder if the changes I make in my decisions show I am focused in following God and pleasing Him.

It can be easy to get distracted by challenges, issues and worries that life can bring. This can make us ask ourselves if God is really there and walking with us in our troubles and trials. We can have confidence in believing that God is always by our side and will never leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6).

It always reassures me to know that there are Bible verses about this which show that it is worth suffering for Christ and making the changes in our daily lives.

1 Corinthians 9:24

‘Do you not know that in a race

all the runners run, but only one

gets the prize? Run in such a

way as to get the prize.

Everyone who competes in the

games goes into strict training.

They do it to get a crown that

will not last; but we do it to get

a crown that will last for ever.’

As Christians, we are enduring the suffering through the race and straining so that when we eventually get to the end, we will receive a prize for all our hard work.

One of Satan’s schemes is to make us think it is pointless doing this as there is no healing or restoration which comes from it. The enemy tries to evoke the feeling of guilt and fear, so we do not reach the end of the race as we stop trusting God. His plans remain only to make us feel unworthy of God’s forgiveness and lead us astray. As believers, we must remind ourselves that grace can always be received no matter what position we are in the race.

Paul says we should run the race and not stop to consider any alternatives or fall into sin which so easily entangles us but follow Jesus wholeheartedly with everything we have. The prize we will receive will eternally remain with us compared to the other runners who are struggling for a crown which will not last. He also mentions how this reward is completely worth the suffering.

 

To read more – get your copy now!