Have you ever encountered an attitude like this: “I’ll do what I want to do. Nobody is going to shove me around or tell me how I should live. Christians bug me so much – they are always worried about their ‘t-e-s-t-i-m-o-n-y’. They are so cautious it drives me nuts. They are just out to impress people.” Such an attitude is not common for a true believer. Maybe a professor – but a possessor of eternal life is not marked by such an attitude. 1John 5:2-3 “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 grievous.”

Is living a christian life hard for you? Do you feel like you are in boot camp and that you are being forced against your will to comply with Scriptural teachings? Is keeping His commandments stressful, burdensome, depressing, restrictive and annoying? Do the majority of believers bug you? Are you more comfortable around people at school or at work, than you are around the christians? I haven’t heard your story, but the alarm bells are screaming in my ears. Something is desperately wrong. There are three possibilities: 1) You are not saved. 2) You are a bitter christian. 3)You are far away from the Lord.

Let’s be honest. Every christian has moments and days in our lives when we resisted doing God’s will. We have all had our times of rebellion and self will. We all have had our days when christians annoyed us. But here’s the difference: those are exceptions, temporary lapses in a true believer’s life. When someone consistently balks at the Lord’s will and grudgingly submits and reluctantly obeys, the likelihood is, that person needs to experience the new birth.

Love can never stop at mere words. Talk is cheap. Love must express itself and looks for every opportunity to swing into action. “Lord, is this an area of my life where I can bring Thee pleasure? I was reading in Your Word this morning and I noticed this verse. I confess that I have been doing my own thing and pleasing myself in this regard. But this verse jumped off the page today and Lord, I want to honor Thee is this matter. You paid such a price for the likes of me, the least I can do is please Thee by gladly obeying.” That’s the language of love, appreciation and devotion. Here is the attitude of love: “I delight to do Thy will, oh my God.” (Psalm 40:8) Jesus said: “I do always those things that please Him (the Father.) John 8:29.

Are His commandments grievous?