Love or Lust for God?

Article by: Russell Hoyt http://russellhoyt.com/2011/07/02/hidden-adventure/

Recently I discovered that I had lost my love for God. Its interesting how you can quickly become so task oriented, “Doing Spiritually,” and lose your true purpose. I have done a lot of questioning over the past two weeks and have found kernels in my burnt spiritual popcorn (bad analogy, one of many to come). First, loving God wasn’t my true motive in this relationship. The subtle difference between motive and motivation is key. See a relationship with God is like a relationship with another person. I had all the motivation to be in a relationship with God: my wife, my kids, my ministry, my sin, my fear, my hurt, but my motive was imply to solve my life problems. A relationship with God will only satisfy a person when they are seeking true love, not lust. To lust after God is simply to desire Him for what He can do for our lives and not who He is. Second, prayer must be primarily motivated by love it is, as the kids say, “An Epic Fail.” Seriously, have you ever spoken with someone, a salesman perhaps, who is only interested in your life and conversation because they want to sell something to your or ask for something in return for the conversation. I can’t stand people like that, but more and more I realize I am that type of person, particularly when it comes to God. God and I sit down and have a conversation about something or other, then I cut right to the chase, like a teenager asking to borrow the car, “Can I have it, can I have it?” In my limited life experience and past experiences with others, most people are dissatisfied with their “relationship” with God because He doesn’t seem to respond or is different. The reality is that if we treat God like the Divine vending machine all we will get is our money taken with no “Jesus Candy” in return.
Soluation: Love God with all your heart, mind, and strength.
How: Put him first in your waking moments, your hour, your day and lastly at night. Speak to Him out of a desire to be with Him and pray and hope that He is who He says He is, a loving Father who will care for your needs. Mention your needs to Him and that leave them alone, because if all you ask for is a house and keep asking for a house, all you will get is a house, when what you really need is God.