What Excites You to Love God?

Many of us have had an experience where we fell in Love with God, and when we did, it changed our faith lives and relationship with Him. How do we sustain that love? 

A few months ago on a retreat, God taught me the importance of staying in Love with Him. Only if I did this, I learned, would I remain in peace, find and embrace my vocation, and be able to draw others into Love with Him.

Beginning with that retreat, and specifically after I read a piece by St. Teresa of Avila in which she wrote, “The important things is not to think much, but to love much; do, then, whatever most arouses you to love,” I’ve come to learn that there is nothing more important than staying in Love with God. Being in Love with God is what draws us back to the faith, stirs in us a spirit of service, and helps us grow in virtue.

All evangelism and ministry will fall short if it doesn’t help people fall and stay in Love with God. Love of God is foundational to our faith. Perhaps that’s why it’s the first commandment.

Take for example, my own faith life. When I fall out of Love of God, I falter. I go astray. I don’t want to serve. I lack the ability to see God in my day to day life. When I fall back into Love, I feel lighter. I am drawn to others. I desire to do God's work. I want to spend more time with God. I see God in the smallest of moments.

Of course, staying in Love with God is very challenging amidst the stresses and challenges of daily life. It's easy to get distracted and off track, and fall in love with worldly things instead. Love of God is like a marriage requiring time, devotion, nourishment, and recognizing all of the small and unique ways our Beloved speaks and tries to reach our hearts. As Catholics, we are so blessed to have the Sacraments that give us graces to help us on our journey to grow in union and Love of God. 

Recently, God guided me to think about all of the ways I’m drawn to Love of Him, and I made a list. From time to time I go back to the list which includes things like beautiful liturgies, Adoration, music, spiritual reading, inspirational words, gazing at creation and sun-scapes, contemplative prayer, the Word, the Eucharist, daily Mass, and serving/encountering the poor. I know I can rely on these things to sustain me when I'm walking through the deserts of life. 

What about you? Consider what excites you to Love of God. How does God draw you to His heart? How is He trying to reach you and bring you closer to Him?