What if I were to make my husband my hobby? I could love and pay attention to him when the hustle and bustle of life allowed me the time. Whenever I could find a hour or two I could squeeze him in to receive my undivided attention. As life’s pace picked up I’d put him on the back burner until things slow down a bit again. Oh but throughout my days I am sure I’ll be dreaming of a perfect life where my giving him my undivided attention, love and time, would pay the bills and put food on the table.
How long I wonder would I be married? How long would it take for my husband to feel like I would always be too busy for him? Even if he loved me with all his heart could he really stick around to be my favorite hobby?
What about my kids? How would they fare if I made them my hobby? Whenever time allowed I could give them my time and attention. Of course they would have to sit on that back burner when life got busy, but, just until it slowed down a bit then I could give them two or three hours a week. How long until child protective services would come to investigate?
Chances are if I were to make my husband and kids mere hobbies it wouldn’t be long before I find myself alone. Relationships that we really want to have in life, take time, effort, patience and sacrifice. They need nurtured and cared for.
There is comfort in a hobby. Some even call hobbies they’re coping mechanisms. A place we leave the outside world; outside, and we go to enjoy something we like to do. A time some find rest, relaxation, even happiness and joy. Then, when time is up, we then set it down and return to reality, to the outside world.
We may think about this hobby often. We may sneak in time for it, an hour or two when we shuffle around our busy schedule. We may even long for the time to enjoy this hobby more. Life, however, seems to become more and more busy and because our hobby, doesn’t seem to pay the bills or put food on the table, it is the thing that takes the back burner position.
We may sometimes find time for it, but for the most part, we just hold on to our dream of a life where our hobby would, in fact, pay the bills and put food on the table, so we could then really love and enjoy our lives.
Although God loves every minute we devote to Him in our lives, He doesn’t want to be our much loved hobby any more than our spouses and kids do. We shouldn’t forget, to imagine ourselves in that hobby role also, as we would not like being somebody’s favorite hobby either.
Matthew 22:37-38 NLT — Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.
God won’t just be our hobby. He seeks intimacy a real tangible relationship with us. Whatever we wouldn’t do to our spouse or our kids we shouldn’t do to Him and whatever we would do for our kids and our spouse we should do for Him.
Relationship with Father God isn’t a hobby, it’s a lifestyle. Just like when we first get married, we learn to live as a couple, and again when we have our first baby, we have to learn how to operate with each new edition into our lives. So it is when we accept Jesus as our Lord and personal Savior. We must learn how to operate in relationship with Him. Jesus isn’t a ghost who haunts the church we attend Sunday mornings. He is not left at church until our next Sunday or midweek visit.
Just like the comfort we seem to find from our hobbies, we can find comfort also in a habit. A feeling of safety, kind of like a routine, we know what to expect, no surprises, basically always the same. We really don’t have to put much effort into thinking, as our body kind of learns to go with the motion, on a subconscious like level. It’s almost memorized to the point if we try to change it we will feel; off, physically, mentally and emotionally.
As long as we keep the habit, we stay calm and un-stressed as it takes no brain work. Some habits we don’t even notice we are doing until someone points them out.
God won’t live in a habitual Box. Habitual behavior requires little to no faith as there isn’t any risk. Emotions die off to almost no feeling left at all, and there is no real change or chance of personal growth. Even if one gets the Blue Ribbon or gold medal, for being the best at maintaining good habits, spiritually there is stagnation.
When God becomes a habit we start unconsciously going through the motions, emotionlessly doing what we know we should. There is no real enthusiasm or feeling behind what we’re doing.
Has God become our beloved, favorite, hobby that we can’t wait to get back to whenever life’s not busy? Has God become our habit that we can almost do blindfolded and without really thinking?
God is not a hobby or a habit or a routine, God is a lifestyle.
Matthew 6:33 NLT — Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
Father God spoke This perspective to my spirit,
He said “ Those things you think your husband should do for you, those things you believe prove or disprove his true feelings of love for you, are the very same things I crave from you.”
He told me, “those things like he should know your likes and dislikes, he should be able to tell when someone lies about your character and stand up for you, he should be able to finish you sentences, he should want to know your interest, what’s on your mind and in your heart. He should remember things you both talked about and make an effort to know when you need help.’
‘Oh, daughter, cant you see, who your describing, who your looking for, is…. Me. This is how I,… love.… you.”
Psalm 139:1-4 NLT — O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD.
Psalm 56:8 NLT — You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.
He then pointed out to me, that all the times I have cried and been upset, when I feel neglected by my husband, that He understands completely. He said He can empathize with how I feel when I’m feeling neglected by my husband, because of how it makes Him feel when His children are not spending time with Him.
He is asking for the kind of relationship and intimacy with us, that we give to those we care about here, in this life, He only asks, that we seek Him so we will find Him. Then we will find that He is not a distant far away God. He is right here, everyday, ready to communicate with, and love, every one of His children.
Hebrews 13:8 NLT — Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
God is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. He walks with us and talks with us just as we read He did in His Word. We need only give Him His proper place in our lives and focus on hearing His voice. We should be so determined to hear from Him that we, like Jacob, will wrestle with Him all night for Him to acknowledge us.
If we aren’t anxiously watching, waiting for Jesus return, chances are, we still don’t understand who we are in Christ and where we’re heading. Lies of the enemy cloud all around us but, truth will set us free, truth only found when in an intimate relationship with our Creator God! This friend’s, is what we were created for!
Until next time, may God bless you and keep you, as you seek Him with your whole heart.
