Hosea 5/6 - Return to God

¹⁵ I will return again to my place, until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face, and in their distress earnestly seek me. (Hosea 5)

Last week was really challenging. It was extremely difficult to read the Bible, to pray, to delight in the Lord. I was unnecessarily annoyed and irritated almost the entire week. Instead of seeking God, I watched numerous episodes of a Korean drama. I realized that whenever I have my down moments, I seek electronic entertainment instead of being still with God. That's one thing I need to discipline myself in my Christian walk -- to find respite in God and not in the world in my down moments.

I forced myself to finish Daniel and continue with Hosea because I didn't want to be too behind in my readings. As I was reading Hosea, I was amazed how God continues to love his people despite their "whoredom." God only wants us to love Him -- and it saddens me that loving God is so hard despite the fact that we know in our minds and hearts and our souls that He is real and the one and only God.

I love Hosea 6:1: ¹"Come, let us return to the LORD;

for he has torn us, that he may heal us;
he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.

God never leaves us -- but uses our circumstances so that we may continue to grow in our Christian journey. I've been listening to audio CDs of Mere Christianity -- and I wish I had listened to it sooner. CS Lewis constantly talks about how God looks at our hearts and not the results. Did we make that decision based on our love for Jesus or based on our selfish nature? I want to do extraordinary things for God but I'm starting to understand that we are in this world to create a better soul for our next world (heaven), and not necessarily to become the next Apostle Paul. Every decision I make counts in my Christian journey -- there are no small decisions. And God will honor those who seek him earnestly.

We had communion this past Sunday and I repented. I cried so much because I failed to seek God earnestly. The Holy Spirit reminded me that I am forgiven and that I am God's child. Amazing grace...