Do You Really Love Him?

She has done a good work for Me —Mark 14:6

If what we call love doesn’t take us beyond ourselves, it is not really love. If we have the idea that love is characterized as cautious, wise, sensible, shrewd, and never taken to extremes, we have missed the true meaning. This may describe affection and it may bring us a warm feeling, but it is not a true and accurate description of love.
Have you ever been driven to do something for God not because you felt that it was useful or your duty to do so, or that there was anything in it for you, but simply because you love Him? Have you ever realized that you can give things to God that are of value to Him? Or are you just sitting around daydreaming about the greatness of His redemption, while neglecting all the things you could be doing for Him? I’m not referring to works which could be regarded as divine and miraculous, but ordinary, simple human things— things which would be evidence to God that you are totally surrendered to Him. Have you ever created what Mary of Bethany created in the heart of the Lord Jesus? "She has done a good work for Me."
There are times when it seems as if God watches to see if we will give Him even small gifts of surrender, just to show how genuine our love is for Him. To be surrendered to God is of more value than our personal holiness. Concern over our personal holiness causes us to focus our eyes on ourselves, and we become overly concerned about the way we walk and talk and look, out of fear of offending God. ". . . but perfect love casts out fear . . ." once we are surrendered to God ( 1 John 4:18 ). We should quit asking ourselves, "Am I of any use?" and accept the truth that we really are not of much use to Him. The issue is never of being of use, but of being of value to God Himself. Once we are totally surrendered to God, He will work through us all the time.
(written by: Oswald Chambers)

Lately I've been feeling discouraged about how much work God has yet to do in me...and sometimes I feel as though I'm not in a place where I can be used by God until I get to a certain point where I think I'm "good enough" or fianlly "worthy" to be used by Him. What an untrue thought! The truth is...I myself will never be worthy...and it's nothing that I can or will ever do that will make me worthy to be used by God. I can try to change on my own and make that my focus...but that won't truely cause me to change. The only way that I can truely is change is by fully seeking God alone. As we spend time in his word and his prescence through intimate moments of worship and prayer...face down before Him...that's when He will begin to change us. And it's by His Grace that I am worthy. Because without the gift of Jesus Christ and the blood he shed for me...I am not worthy of his love. But by God's Grace we are made worthy! How amazing is our God? Who loves like that? So don't focus on becoming more holy...simply focus on SEEKING GOD...really, truely, completely seeking Him. That's when we will be changed.