From Striving to Surrender: A Journey From Head Knowledge to Heart Acceptanceنموونە

Day 3–Gratitude, Honesty, and Trust

Accepting God’s love is not about doing more. I believe it can be especially helpful to think about receiving it through three key postures.

1. Gratitude: Doing what we can to live thankful lives, not as repayment but as a joyful response. Gratitude may also lead to obedience, because we want to honour the One who has loved us so well. It's less about “paying God back” and more about noticing what He's given us as we live in His fullness.

2. Honesty: God already knows your thoughts before you think them and your actions before you take them. This means we can be real with Him. Tell Him when you are struggling to believe His love, confess when you have failed, and share your disappointments. Remember, Isaiah 1:18 says "...though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow" (Isaiah 1:18 NIV).

3. Trust: Trust means believing that His love for you will not stop. Even if you wander, even when you get buried in busy, His heart is to call you back. Like the father in the parable of the prodigal son (see Luke 15:11-32), He runs towards you when you return, arms open.

You cannot earn His love, and you cannot lose His love. But you can choose to live gratefully, speak honestly, and trust Him completely.