How do you show your parents that you love them? Do you put a lot of thought into it?
When we are young, we usually express our love for our parents by giving them things that we like.
“I think this is a nice picture, so Mom will be happy to have it.”
“This is my favorite toy, so Dad will like it too.”
And of course, our parents accept these miscellaneous objects as precious gifts. It’s not because they necessarily want that crayon drawing or those Lego pieces, but because they know the pure intentions of their children’s hearts.
A Mature and Understanding Love
As we mature, we learn how to express our love in ways that our parents would really appreciate. It could be spending time with them, writing them heartfelt letters, or getting them thoughtful gifts. Now, as more mature children, we think and know more about how to love them the way they want to be loved.
I wonder if you’ve ever thought about how you show your love to God as well. After all, He is our heavenly Father. Of course, many of us start out by worshiping Him in our own way, because we don’t know any better. Like young children, our scope of understanding God is limited to our own experiences and what we know about ourselves. However, God doesn’t want us to remain infants in our faith, but instead wants us to mature.
‘Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity…’
Hebrews 6:1
To show our love as a mature child of God, we need to know and consider who God really is. At some point in our lives, we realize that our parents are people with their own desires and are more than just our caretakers. Likewise, there should come a time when we realize that God does not exist solely to satisfy our every whim. When that time comes, we should begin to seek and ask. “God, how do You want to be loved? What do You like or dislike? What is Your will and how can I partake in it so that You will be pleased?”
How to Love God in the Way He Wants
In my personal experience, I claimed for the longest time that I wanted to hear God’s voice. I wanted to be a “mature” Christian. I want to know you, God. What is Your will for me? For years and years, I prayed that same prayer and cried out into what felt like a void, begging for Him to speak to me.
And all the while, my Bible remained untouched, although it should have been the first place I looked if I really did want to know more about God. What other direct source of God’s words do we have besides the Scripture that is God-breathed?
When I finally did pick up my Bible and resolved to get to know God through His Word, I came to realize that in all my life of faith, I had been acting as an immature, self-centered child, waiting to be spoon-fed without putting any genuine effort in. As I continued to study, I was able to understand more and more of God’s heart as well as His will and purpose.
True Love for God Comes from Understanding Him Through the Bible
Just like how I developed a deeper relationship with my physical parent once I grew to be a more mature child, I now have a deeper relationship with God because I am always seeking to know more about Him through His Word. By knowing Him more, I can understand how He desires to be loved.
‘This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.’
1 John 5:3-4
Of course, we all love our Father God. But how much more would He be pleased when He sees His children becoming more mature by trying to truly understand His heart? Maybe it sounds a bit daunting, but the first step is to recognize what kind of child you have been, not in your own eyes, but in God’s. It is from there that we can go on to maturity, like it says in Hebrews 6, and love God in the way He wants to be loved.
Written by Y
I hope that we can continue on this journey together. If you have any questions on how to love God according to His Word, please feel free to contact us!
Read More
Music to God’s Ears: How to Pray a Prayer that Pleases God
How to Worship God According to the Bible
Is God Able to Trust Everyone?
Also, be sure to follow our Instagram for weekly prayers, verses and encouragement!
Subscribe to As It Is in Heaven!
If you’d like to stay up to date on our newest posts, make sure to subscribe below!
4 Replies to “Do You Love God in the Way He Wants to Be Loved?”
Comments are closed.