Day 12 - Developing your friendship with God

You are as close to God as you choose to be

We have to work at developing our friendship with God. It doesn't happen by accident. It takes desire, time and energy.

WE MUST CHOOSE TO BE HONEST WITH GOD
God doesn't expect you to be perfect, but He does insist on complete honesty. Genuine friendship is built on disclosure. What may appear to you as audacity, God views as authenticity.

Be honest with God, sharing your true feelings, not just what you think you ought to feel or say. You may even have to confess some hidden anger and resentment at God for certain areas in your life where you have felt cheated or disappointed (habouring feelings about our appearance, background, unanswered prayers, past hurts, etc). Releasing your resentment and revealing your feelings is the first step to healing.

WE MUST CHOOSE TO OBEY GOD IN FAITH
He is our loving leader, and we follow Him not out of duty or fear or compulsion, but because we love Him and trust that He knows what is best for us; we do this out of gratitude. Unbelievers often think Followers obey out of obligation or guilt or fear of punishment. Not so, if you believe you've been forgiven and set free. We obey out of love - and our obedience brings great joy! True friendship isn't passive; it acts. Help the needy, share our resources, keep our lives clean, offer forgiveness, and bring others to Him; love motivates us to obey immediately. In telling the truth, being kind, and encouraging others, we bring a smile to God's face.

WE MUST CHOOSE TO VALUE WHAT GOD VALUES
The more you become God's friend the more you will care about the things He cares about. What He cares about most is the redemption of His people; that's the whole reason why Jesus came to earth. Friends of God tell their friends about God.

WE MUST DESIRE FRIENDSHIP WITH GOD MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE
Although God is all powerful, He isn't offended when we wrestle with Him; because wrestling requires personal contact and brings us close to Him. It is also a passionate activity, and God loves it when we are passionate about Him. The truth is - you are as close to God as you choose to be. You must intentionally seek it, really want this friendship...

If you've just been going through the motions spiritually, don't be surprised when God allows pain in your life. Your problems are not punishment; they are wake-up calls from a loving God, to reignite your passion for Him. Start asking for that passion; it's that easy. There is nothing more important than developing a friendship with God; it's a relationship that will last forever.

Ask it today still, love ~ Stafford

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” -Romans 8:35,37