I have had enemies in the past who have persecuted me for my beliefs. I will never forget when one particular woman told me, "You just hide yourself behind God." After a few moments of thinking, I couldn't help but think wonder to myself, "Isn't that what God is for? He covers my sin with a robe of righteousness. If hiding behind God is something awful, then I am guilty, but that is not the case. God always wants to cover us in his love, his mercy, and protect us under his wings. Some people choose to not hide behind God, but rather a religion.
Most people equate God and religion as being the same. However, if you are a born-again Christian, you should know that we do not have a religion, but rather a relationship with God.
Religion causes more burdens; we become slaves to religious laws. However, God intended for us to be FREE from the burden of religion--the burden of the law. Jesus said in Matthew 11:30, "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Talking about religious leaders, Jesus even went as far to say in Matthew 23:4, "They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden."
Though his burden is light, just going to church every Sunday does not make you a Christ-follower. Praying alone does not make you a Christ-follower, nor does just reading the Bible. If you do all of those things, and do not love, all you have is a religion. Love is the product of a relationship with Christ.
Though we, too, have rules to follow as Christians, the yoke is easy, and the burden is light, because these commandments that God has given us are to be motivated by love. Once you have the love of Christ in you, you are more than willing to serve. It is no longer a chore!
If you are finding that serving others seems like a chore or that it seems burdensome, then recognize you are burdening yourself with religion. Loving others should be easy when you have a relationship with Christ. Going to church becomes exciting--you'll never want to miss it. You will begin to feel cranky when you don't get enough prayer time in. You will begin to feel empty and hungry if you don't read your Bible in the morning. You will feel guilty when you aren't doing something to serve others. If you spend too much time without sharing the gospel, you feel as if you might just explode! Enjoying things alone begins to seem meaningless...
Are you religious, or are you spiritual? What are you doing to strengthen your relationship with Christ? Don't allow yourself to hide behind religion any longer. Jesus desires an intimate relationship with you. Will you do your part?
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