How to know if you’ve lost your first love
First Love Series - Part 2
In Part 1, I wrote about recalling our first love and the strong feelings we
experienced in that relationship. We thought we would never love anyone the way
we loved our first love, but God is the one we should have a first love desire
for. All other loves come behind him as a model of true love. In Part 1, I
wrote about recognizing when you've lost your first love desire for the Lord
and I also gave 4 steps for how return to your first love.
The first of the four steps was to acknowledge God was not first
love. Perhaps this step was difficult for you. You may not know whether you've
lost your first love. What are signs that you've left God out as our first
love? Check the list below:
You reach for your desires instead of his desires
You prefer media entertainment to reading and living his scriptures
You want your needs met more than his needs
You prefer people’s company to his company
You'd rather be right than humble
You'd rather be right than loving
You prefer your way over his way
You prefer your group of people to his kingdom of people
You prefer your thinking over his thinking
You prefer your thinking when you know it’s selfish and harmful
You want pride more than you want to submit
You want to hate more than you want to show love
You prefer to stand with the crowd than stand for Jesus
You care more about your success than kingdom success
You tell yourself you’re right when deep down you know you’re wrong
You prefer your plans over his plan
You prefer to ask a friend rather than pray
One of the most telling signs that you lost your first love is if you find yourself more tied to the 7 behaviors which God dislikes than to God himself. Those behaviors are highlighted in Proverbs 6:16-19 TLB [16-19], For there are six things the Lord hates-no, seven: haughtiness, lying, murdering, plotting evil, eagerness to do wrong, a false witness, sowing discord among brothers.”
What do you think of this list? What am I missing as an indicator that someone has lost the Lord as their first love?
How many of these would you check off? Take stock of it and acknowledge
you may not be making God your first love.
Then move on to step #2 – identify how you go tot this point.
STOP! Take a moment join us.
Sometimes being a Christian is challenging. Often we aren’t honest about our struggle.
Do you want growth, insight and courage to help through this journey?