God’s love for us is unconditional and immeasurable, yet it calls for a response. It is not just a gift to be received, but a call to action and a challenge to respond in a way that reflects His love.
John 3:16: For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Imagine the pain of loving someone deeply and passionately, only to have that love ignored or rejected. That’s the heartache God experiences when we fail to respond to His love. His sacrifice on the cross wasn’t just an act of mercy but an invitation to engage in a transformative relationship with Him.
How do we respond to such an overwhelming love?
1. By Leading a Life of Obedience
Loving God starts with obedience. Jesus says in
John 14:21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me.
Obedience reflects our intimate relationship with God. When we know Him deeply, we wouldn’t want to hurt Him. On the contrary, disobedience reveals a lack of closeness. Loving God is more than just avoiding sin. It means living according to His will and reflecting His heart in our everyday actions.
2. By Honoring Him With Our Substance
Honor goes beyond words; it shows in how we give and prioritize God. Proverbs 3:9-10 teaches us to honor God with our wealth. Honoring God encompasses all areas of life, not just about money. Your time, talents, and resources should reflect your value for God. Honoring God also means respecting the spiritual leaders He has placed in your life (2 Chronicles 20:20).
3. By Glorifying Him Through Fruitfulness
God calls us to be fruitful.
John 15:8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
Fruitfulness is more than achievements; it’s living a life that points others to God. Our actions, character, and choices should bring Him glory, showing the world that we are His disciples.
Understanding how to respond to God’s love changes everything about us, including how we navigate relationships, whether single or married. We must not just acknowledge His love. We must live in a way that shows we have been changed by it.
Take a moment to reflect on how you are responding to His love today!
Dating discipleship is about seeing your relationship as a way to grow closer to God and each other. It’s intentional, faith-centered dating that moves beyond simple activities to a deeper spiritual connection.
2. Recognize Why Shared Faith Matters
Sharing a faith foundation creates alignment in values and goals. With God as your base, you gain a toolkit for tackling challenges together, helping both of you stay grounded and connected.
3. Set Spiritual Goals Together
Set goals beyond everyday plans, like praying, studying the Bible, or serving together. Spiritual goals, even in small steps, deepen your bond and align you with God’s purpose.
4. Work on Growth Together
Challenges will come, but a shared faith gives you the resources to handle them. Communicate openly, respect each other’s journeys, and seek guidance from mentors for a grounded, faith-based approach.
5. Enjoy Faith with Fun
Balance spiritual growth with fun! Try daily devotions, worship together, or celebrate small faith milestones to keep things light and enjoyable as you build spiritual unity.
6. Face Real Challenges Faithfully
When conflicts arise, address them with honest communication, pray together, and seek outside perspectives from a mentor or pastor. Faith offers peace and patience to work through hard times.
7. Build a Faith-Based Community
Surround yourself with supportive friends, small groups, or couples’ retreats. Proverbs 27:17 reminds us that community can strengthen faith, providing encouragement and accountability.
8. Cultivate a Faith-Focused Culture in Your Relationship
Practice gratitude, talk about spiritual experiences, and create simple faith-based traditions, like weekly prayer or sharing reflections, to make faith a natural part of your relationship.
9. Envision the Long Term
If marriage is the goal, use dating discipleship to build a foundation. Discuss future visions for family, finances, and ongoing faith growth, setting up a lifetime of shared values.
10. Embrace Dating Discipleship as a Lifelong Journey
Dating discipleship isn’t about perfection. It’s a journey of faith, growth, and love. Stay true to your faith, enjoy the journey, and keep building a relationship that reflects God’s love.
Dating discipleship transforms your relationship into a spiritual journey, helping you grow closer to God while nurturing the love for each other.
As children, we must always seek to do what is right – as we relate with our family, our friends, our teachers, etc. This is a good character to have.
Romans 12:7 ‘Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone’ (NIV)
‘Look! It’s Dele’. Tunji pointed out to Seyi as they walked home from school. ‘He’s alone. Now you can do whatever you want to him” Tunji urged, his eyes gleaming with vengeance.
Dele had stumbled into Seyi on purpose earlier today at school during lunch break. Seyi’s whole lunch had spilled over his white shirt. This earned him a huge reprimand from the teacher. And his mom was still going to do so too at home. Would Seyi do what is right? If you were in Seyi’s shoes, what will you do?
Tunji was right, this was the perfect opportunity to pay Dele back. He remembered what he had learned from the devotional this morning. He remembered the verse in the Bible.
Ephesians 4:32 ‘Be kind and compassionate to one another. Forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
‘No, I won’t do anything to him he shrugged his shoulders, also remembering that he had to do what is right.
‘Are you serious?’ asked a dumbfounded Tunji. ‘He bullies you all the time’.
‘My mom read today in the devotional that Jesus said I don’t have to be mean to him also’. He gave Dele a wide smile and waved as they passed him.
‘Did you just smile and wave at him?’ Tunji asked, his eyes huge as lemons. He didn’t understand this ‘do what is right’ thing.
‘Yeah, I did. Said a happy Seyi. He felt good as he walked on. ‘I am going to pray for him instead’.
People will always hurt us no matter how good we are to them or others. Being obedient to Jesus is not to hurt people back when they hurt us. Learn to do do what is right.
Declaration: I learn to forgive. I will not pay evil with evil.
Prayer: Dear Jesus, I want to obey you by not hurting anybody that has hurt me. In your mighty name, I pray. Amen.
