It's not Him, it's you.

You know when you're watching one of those sappy romantic comedies and the couple breaks up? One doesn't want to devastate the other so they say "oh, it's not you, it's me?" We hear that over and over and over again.

You know what I think? Spiritually speaking in our relationship with God, he is saying, "It's not me, it IS you." You've had it all backwards and you are the reason that this relationship isn't working. 

Let me back up. We had a girls' Bible study last night on the first three chapters of John. We talked about how we could use that to teach someone who doesn't really know Christ about where he came from, who he is and what he does.  It got me thinking specifically about chapter 3. 

There's a passage in the third chapter about Nicodemus. He's part of the Sanhedrin (aka the religious leadership).  He goes to see Jesus because he wants to know more about following him....but he goes at night. If his friends from the Sanhedrin knew what he was up to, that he was a fan of this carpenter from Galilee, they'd ask questions and they might even persecute him. See, Nicodemus didn't want to be inconvenienced  by Jesus, but he wanted all the benefits that came with it.  He wanted to keep his relationship a secret so that no one would know. For Nicodemus, it would cost him everything. Well God tells us that if we deny him before man, he will deny us in Heaven.  Jesus doesn't want you to be a fan. He wants you to be a wholehearted follower - and sometimes that means that we won't be well liked or respected. If you're going to be in a relationship with God, it has to be public. Proclaim it, live it, don't be ashamed of it. In our world's terms, tweet it, make it Facebook official, tell your girlfriends or tell your buddies. Make Him known.

In a passage from Kyle Idleman's book Not a Fan. He writes this: 

"There is no way to follow Jesus without him interfering with your life. Following Jesus will cost you something. Following Jesus always costs something...it's a twenty four hour a day commitment that will interfere with your life. That's not the small print, that's a guarantee." (Ch 2, a Decision or a Commitment?)

So what has Jesus cost you? If he hasn't cost you much and you haven't let him interfere in your life, I'd venture to say you're not really following Jesus, you're just a fan. People who don't want to take their relationship to the next level and the next level are people who are letting themselves get in the way of knowing Jesus.  He's not holding anything back from us - we hold ourselves back from him. 

I'm guilty as charged. I've done this. I admit that. I have not been willing to fully commit to God in the past because I was too afraid I would lose my family who are not Christians, I feared not being good enough, knowledgeable enough. I didn't want to leave the "comforts of home" or the safe circle of friends that I've developed relationships with because friendships take work. I was selfish. I didn't see the relationship I have with God for what it CAN BE, only for what I thought it needed to be. 

I'm working on this. I'm prayerfully going through a program that will help me understand what I can do to make my relationship with myself stronger so I can have a better relationship with God, and other people. I've allowed God to change my surroundings, circumstances and plans as he sees fit - and it's been incredible to stand in the midst of everything he can do for us, with us and around us because He loves us. 

God is committed to the relationship he has with you. Are you a follower - or just a fan? It's decision versus commitment and the choice you make will change everything.