In Deuteronomy 6:4-6, also known as the Jewish prayer the "shema" (roughly translated as "hear and obey"), God commands us to love Him with all our heart, all our soul, and all our strength. Recently, I was thinking about this concept, and something relatively simple dawned on me that I had apparently been missing, and I'd like to share it with you.
If we are loving God with literally every ounce of our strength, then we have none left to use. This is the ultimate submission. Only when we love God with every single ounce of our own strength do we allow His to take over our lives. We're using all our energy loving Him, so we know that He is the One doing everything in our lives. This is how we can give all credit to Him and follow Him so completely; He's the One behind the wheel. Since we're using all our strength loving Him, He uses His to help us live our lives how He intended and use out talents in a way that glorifies Him.
It's Him, not us.
Coming into a fuller understanding of this simple, yet remarkable truth gave me more courage in my love for God. That may sound a bit weird, but it was because I realized that it's through my love for Him and His for me that His Will is done in my life, and knowing that really makes all the difference.
