Do You Love God?
Have you ever asked yourself, “Do I really love God?” As a Christian, I’ve found myself wondering about this at times. Do I love God just for who He is, or only for what He can give me? I know a lot of truths from the Bible, some I can even say from memory but when life gets hard, I sometimes forget them. In those moments, I begin to question if I truly love God. This has led me on a personal journey to understand why I love Him.
Loving God for Who He Is
The first and most important step is learning to love God for who He is, not just for what He does for us. The Bible teaches us that there is only one true God. He alone is holy. He is not like any other God. He created the heavens, the earth, and everything in them. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and always present. When we read the Bible, we see the character of God clearly. We learn that He is just, merciful, wise, and full of love. He is the God who knows everything about us, even the number of hairs on our heads (Luke 12:7). He knows every detail of history, every thought in our minds, and every desire in our hearts.
Think about this: there are over 8 billion people on earth. Even if a billion of them prayed twice a day, God would still hear and answer each prayer without getting confused. That’s because He is all-knowing (omniscient), and He never forgets. Isn’t that amazing?
God’s Love for Sinners
When I think about God's love for sinners like me, I’m amazed. His mercy is so deep, as shown throughout the book of Romans. Romans 1–11 talks about God’s great mercy, and then Romans 12:1 urges us to respond by offering our lives to Him in worship. It says, “In view of God’s mercy, offer your bodies as a living sacrifice...” That means our love for God should lead to a life that is lived for Him.
Why Do You Love God?
Sometimes people are drawn to God because they’re afraid of going to hell, or because they want to go to heaven. It’s possible to follow God for the benefits He offers, like peace, protection, or eternal life. But that alone is not real love. Some people may try to "play it safe" with God, not because they love Him, but because they fear the consequences of not following Him. Even Christians can fall into this mindset. They may focus more on the blessings of heaven—like streets of gold, peace, or eternal joy—than on God Himself. But true love for God is shown in a different way.
What Does It Mean to Love God?
The Bible makes it clear: Loving God means obeying Him. “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” (1 John 5:2–3)
This means we can measure our love for God by looking at our obedience. Are we obeying God out of love? Or are we doing things just because they are commands, grumbling and complaining as we go, about how difficult it actually is? Do we follow God's commands because we want to, or because we feel like we have to? Jesus is our perfect example. In John 17 as Jesus prayed, we see that He had deep fellowship with the Father. He obeyed God not out of fear or duty, but out of love. Jesus came to earth, lived perfectly, and completed the work God gave Him because He loved the Father. He said He did it so that "the world may know that I love the Father" (John 14:31).
If we are called to be like Christ, then our obedience must also come from love. If God’s commands feel heavy or frustrating, maybe it’s a sign that we don’t truly love Him the way we think we do.
Do Your Words and Actions Match?
You can’t say you love God and then live in disobedience. Love for God must show up in how we live. It must be real. The Bible warns us about loving the world more than we love God: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:15–17)
There is no middle ground. If we don’t love God, then we are likely loving the world and its temporary pleasures. Many Christians try to list things they don’t do, thinking it proves they are not worldly. But can they honestly say they love God with obedient hearts?
A Call for Self-Examination
This is a call to all believers, myself included, to examine our hearts. Do we truly love God, or are we simply going through the motions of religion? Real love for God starts with knowing who He is, and that comes from studying His Word. If we don’t know Him, how can we love Him? There are many “Christian” things we can do—singing songs, attending church, reading devotionals—but are these things driven by love and obedience to God? Or are they just habits? May the Lord help us to be obedient in our hearts and minds, to love God and love others.
