ARE YOU ENJOYING YOUR LIFE, OR JUST STRUGGLING ALONG?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
This is how God showed His love among us:  He sent His 
one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him.  
(1 John 4:9)

MEDITATION:
Ask anyone how they are doing and most will answer, “Fine”.
But do you ever wonder if it is just a standard response, 
or if they are really doing fine?
There are a lot of people who are having various problems in life 
but would rather not discuss them with just anyone.
Their closest friends and family know that ‘fine’ doesn’t always mean ‘fine’.

How do we deal with the problems we experience in living?
For one thing we need to remember that the scriptures 
tell us that we can ‘live through Christ’.
It sounds like an important key to enjoying life, doesn’t it?
When we ‘connect’ with Him, we discover His love that surpasses all understanding.
What He did for us on the cross, authenticates His love is real!

The Bible teaches us that God IS love. 
You and I are sinners who were aliens from God and enemies of God.
We rebelled against God and deserved His wrath.
How would you feel toward someone who had this kind of relationship with you?
Could you find any way to love that person?

God loves us with a genuine everlasting love 
that proved it’s reality on the cross.
His love shows that He knows and understands our failures, 
and sees how we flounder around trying to enjoy our life on earth.
None of us have the ability to love the way God loves, but we can discover 
a new capacity to love whenever we submit to Him and His way for us.

God’s love promises us a blissful eternity whenever we come to Him asking 
for His forgiveness, believing in His Son, and committing our lives to Him.
Repentance is turning our lives around and facing the Lord.
When we do, we no longer are obsessed with pursuing what the world has to offer. 
And, as a result, we discover 
the joy of living our life on earth ‘through Him’.

ACTION:
Are you missing out on ‘really living’ 
because your focus and priorities are wrong?
Do you struggle with showing love toward others?
Does your desire to be in control get in the way of loving others?
Does your pride prevent you from loving someone who has offended you?
It doesn’t mean you approve of their ‘actions’, but you realize that they are 
God’s creations and you understand that you should love everything made by God.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, I could never thank You enough for loving me. I 
wish that I could undo my sins against You, but since I can’t, I thank 
You for Your forgiveness when I sincerely confess them and ask for 
Your mercy. I need Your help in turning from my sins and living a life 
in obedience to You. From Your Word, I know that when I do, I can 
enjoy my life on earth. Your love encompasses me at all times. Help 
me to lose my selfishness so I can love others in a new way.” 

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