What steps can we take to return to our "first love" today? Recognize the Drift • “But I have this against you: You have abandoned your first love.” (Revelation 2:4) • Drifting can feel subtle—busyness, ministry routine, or unconfessed sin slowly cools affection. • Ask the Spirit to show specific areas where love has turned into mere habit (Psalm 139:23-24). Remember His Love • “Remember, then, the things you did at first.” (Revelation 2:5a) • Recall how He first drew you—Jeremiah 2:2 pictures early devotion: “I remember the devotion of your youth...” • Meditate on the cross: “We love because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19) • Rehearse answered prayers, times of intimate worship, Scriptures that once burned in your heart. Repent with Purpose • “Repent and perform the deeds you did at first.” (Revelation 2:5b) • Repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change of direction (Acts 3:19). • Confess the specific idols that have displaced Christ’s central place (1 John 1:9). • Choose concrete steps—clearing schedules, cutting media, reconciling relationships—that remove rivals to His throne. Restart the Works You Did at First • Love expresses itself in action. Return to: – Unhurried time in Scripture (Psalm 119:97). – Spontaneous worship and thanksgiving (Psalm 100:4). – Eager witness about Jesus (Acts 4:20). – Practical service to believers and neighbors (Galatians 5:13). • These are not dry duties but channels through which affection flows again. Renew Your Mind Daily • “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice… be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:1-2) • Replace stale routines with fresh engagement: new Bible reading plans, scripture memory, journaling insights. • Let truth displace lies that dampen zeal—such as “God is distant” or “growth is impossible.” Remain in Close Fellowship • Love grows in community (Hebrews 10:24-25). • Seek believers whose passion for Christ is contagious. • Share testimonies, bear burdens, pray for revival in one another’s hearts (James 5:16). Rely on the Spirit’s Power • “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16) • Ask daily for the Spirit to enlighten, empower, and inflame love for Jesus (Ephesians 3:16-19). • Trust His enabling rather than striving in self-effort. Rejoice in the Promise • “To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to eat from the tree of life.” (Revelation 2:7) • Returning to first love is not mere nostalgia; it prepares us for eternal fellowship with Christ. • Celebrate progress, however small, and keep your eyes on the day when love will be perfected in His presence. |
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