“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.” (1 John 3:16)

When’s the last time you paused to reflect on how deeply you love Jesus? Are you loving Him with the kind of genuine, wholehearted devotion that He deserves, or has it become just a passing thought in the busyness of life?

Sometimes we can get so caught up in the motions of our faith — the church services, life groups, Bible studies, the prayers, serving / volunteering – that we forget to take a moment to be still and check in with our hearts.

As we enter these final weeks of Lent, I feel like this question takes on even more weight. Do you truly love Jesus with all your heart, soul and mind? Maybe you’ve spent the past few weeks fasting, praying, and making space for the Lord to speak to you. But here’s the thing — why do we even do it? Why do we fast? Why do we give up our comforts, our distractions, our routines? Ultimately, it’s all about drawing closer to the One we love. 

If your heart’s not on fire for Jesus right now, ask yourself: What’s getting in the way? What’s distracting you from the depth of love you were created to experience with Him? Maybe it’s busyness, an unanswered prayer, or doubt. Or maybe it’s that we’ve forgotten the radical nature of His love for us.

So, ask yourself: Do I truly love Jesus?

Be honest with yourself. You may know He’s deserving of your love, but if you just don’t feel it… pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help you in fully realizing the truth of who Jesus truly is. The reality is that He is deserving of all our love, not just some of it, or when it’s convenient for us. 

Jesus didn’t come just to check the box of "being a good person." He came to transform us — to bring us into the deepest, most intimate relationship possible with the Creator of the universe. And when we truly begin to understand that, we can’t help but want more. More of His presence. More of His love. More of Him.