“I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.”

Revelation 2:2-4 NIV

I am not sure when I first heard the term “the devil is in the details”, but it rolls through my mind so often, especially when I’m running on empty. It makes me stop and consider if my actions are truly motivated by God, or if I’m allowing the devil to draft my details into empty and casual efforts.

I think we all get into the habit of just going through the motions. We have good hearts and good intentions, but we click on the busy mode and forget where our motivation comes from. The busy makes us feel productive. And important. And needed. And yes, it maybe even satisfies our ego that we are doing good for God. Please hear me say this though – no good deed goes unnoticed by God! This is not about stopping good deeds. This is about recognizing if we are motivated to do them from our love for Christ, or if we have become motivated by the works themselves.

Jesus reminds us of this: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment” (Matthew 22:37-38). And when we are no longer propelled by our greatest love, we begin to lose our passion, our empowerment, and our effectiveness. Our works become instinctive instead of intentional.

We need to remember that our love for God starts with His Word and continues through prayer, reflection, and relationship. And it’s through these connections that He fans into flames our anointments and our appointments. If we stop admiring all the things God calls us to do, and start desiring Him, we can rekindle our first love and let God direct the details! He will develop that perfect balance of work and worship.

Here are some things to consider as you reflect on your first love:

Do we let our importance outweigh our intimacy with Him?
Do we allow our performance to overshadow His presence?
Do we rely on our own efforts instead of Spiritual empowerment?
Do we manipulate Biblical details to suit our own desires?

If you answered yes to any of the above, it’s time to return to your first love! “Call to Him and He will answer” (Jeremiah 33:3). He is waiting with open arms.

12 words

Let’s stop admiring what we do for God and start desiring Him. 

#SaturdaySoulSearch