A Whole Heart For God

One day at camp last month, I laid in my bunk-bed in the middle of the night wide awake. Light from the hall-way trickled into the bedroom through a half-shut door and it was keeping me up, so I got up to shut it when I heard sobbing in the girl's bathroom. I gently opened the curtain to see a friend from my room sitting on the bathroom floor with a roll of tissue in her hand and a pile of used ones next to her. I sat down beside her and there we talked for a very long time...

This particular girl had told me earlier in the week that she had been going through some really tough times in her life, starting last year. She's still struggling with many hard things, but she told me that the trails she has been through so far has only made her stronger.

I listened to her and tried all I could to comfort her. Our conversation led to what God had been teaching in our lives and then about God Himself and what a great God we serve.

Something I will never forget is what this girl told me. She told me that she didn't want to be the "average Christian," and that she had fully surrendured her life to God and would live for Him no matter what. She said that before camp she had made God a promise and commitment that she was willing to do whatever it took to give Him the glory, even if that meant suffering for Him. She told me that even if she had to be crushed by other people, forsaken, abused, put down, no matter what, she would do whatever it took to make the Lord famous. She would do it for Him so He could be exalted.

This girl has a fire burning for the Lord within her that is not hidden. She inspired me so much and only made my fire within me burn the brighter for the Lord! What a blessing to meet a young lady who wants to live for God without reservations!

Making the Lord famous, is what she kept telling me was her purpose, her promise, her goal for the Lord.

A song by Rush of Fools reminds me of this girl's ambition. It is entitled "Fame." The chorus says:

I raise my hands

Just as I am

I'm letting go

Of false control

I lift my voice

I have no choice

My life is yours

Use me for your fame

I'm letting go; My life is Yours; Use me for your fame. God is so perfect and holy. Full of love for His people. He deserves all of us. Not half. Everything.

One of the main messages at camp was having a full heart for God. Not an empty or half-hearted one, but one without set backs. God wants all of us! He doesn't want us to be cold or warm in our Christian faith: He wants us to be on fire! Lukewarmness is not an option. Remember the verse in Revelation?

"I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I
would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art
lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of
my mouth."
Revelation 3:15-16

This girl from camp really inspired me. I have heard about young people on fire for the Lord, but I've never met one like this particular girl. Especially one like her who was willing to suffer for God who had a desire to do whatever it took to give glory to HIM.

It makes me look at my own life: how much have I given and am giving to the Lord? Would I be willing to suffer for Him?

The Bible is clear that if we are His child, we will suffer for Him. There's no hiding that fact.

2 Timothy 3:12

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

Philippians 1:29

For unto it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.

But shouldn't this be a privilege? Look what He did for us!

The conversation I had with this particular girl sitting on the bathroom floor for an hour or so started with tears and ended with smiles and laughter. Talking with her about her commitment to the Lord and about God Himself, and how good He is, really blessed my heart and hers as well. Living for God is her greatest joy. Oh, if only every Christian, including myself, had such a deep desire to live for God with their whole hearts and without holding anything back!

I strongly encourage you to look at your own life as I look at mine. Would you still be faithful to God through suffering or persecution? Is there anything you are holding back from God? We're not truly living for God until we give Him everything. We were made for Him and Christ has given His life for us---what excuse do we have? We not only should surrender all but we should desire to do it because of what He has done for us! God deserves every ounce of us. Strive to give Him your full heart. Life is not about us. It's about HIM.

Desire to live for God without reservations.