A few years ago I read Francis Chan’s book Crazy Love, and it totally changed how I see Christian discipleship. Chan’s book explains how saying “lukewarm Christian” is an oxymoron- Christians are either deeply in love with God, or not Christ-followers at all. The book explains how our day-to-day actions are the greatest determiner of our love for God.

Article Summary: So many Christians struggle to feel and show love for God in the way Scripture tells us we should. Let’s dive into why people struggle, why God’s character makes Him worthy of our love, and how we can demonstrate our love on a day-to-day basis. 

As you read, ask yourself: When was the last time I did something that would make someone say “Wow. I can see how much they love the Lord.” And when was the last time you thought “Wow, I love my Lord so much.”

It could be that our answer is lacking and we need to seek a deeper understanding of God’s character and His intent for our lives. When we do, our love for Him will grow and grow and grow- because His plan is perfect, He exceeds expectations for a Father, and He has only ever been good to us.

To My Friends Struggling To Love God

Before going further, it is important to address Christians who are fighting to feel on fire for God not because they don’t know His attributes, but because something has distorted their view of Him. Whether it be trauma from an earthly father, church hurt, christians not behaving as they should, confusion, shame, or coping with terrible things happening to good people, I sympathize with the barriers many Christians have to overcome to reignite their love for God. The dissonance between wanting to be in love with God & ultimately feeling apathy must be exhausting… I pray that you continue to fight Satan’s temptation to just give up. 

Instead of trying to solve the problem alone, seek help. This can come from a trusted friend, mentor, or even a professional such as a licensed therapist. Finding the root of your apathy, anger, or distrust would be of benefit to every aspect of your life, not just the spiritual. Getting help from others, even from a professional, is NOT a lack of faith. It is a way that you can actively fight against Satan’s lies and the challenges in life that prevent us from being close to God. When they are addressed, we can turn our time and attention to learning about God without anything holding us back! All Christians, even those who have great strength and maturity, experience times when their emotions don’t reflect their obedience.

Everything About God’s Character Is Easy To Love

Have you ever met someone you can’t help but love? Sure, they have flaws, but their great qualities never make you second guess their love for you or your love for them.

How lucky are we to serve a God with no flaws? His contribution to our relationship with Him has always been perfectly done- He’s never hurt us, been unfair to us, stabbed us in the back, ignored us, or been selfish. God is the epitome of “easy to love”- Nothing about Him needs to be overlooked.

Scripture shows us YHWH, who is loving at His core (1 John 4:8). He is slow to anger and merciful (Psalm 103:8), faithful even when we aren’t faithful to Him (2 Timothy 2:13), and a shepherd in constant pursuit of protecting us (Luke 15:4–7). He loved us so much that He sent Jesus to die for our sins (Romans 5:8), even as mankind mocked Him. His intent for man has always been good (Jeremiah 29:11).

On top of all of those amazing qualities, God gave us life, He gave us the opportunity to be forgiven of our sin, and He prepared a home for us in heaven (John 14:2) to spend eternity with Him and His angels. 

God had NO reason to do that, except because He loves us. I repeat, God did not owe us love, respect, or eternal life- In fact, what we deserve is to be judged for our sin and imperfectings… That’s what the “fair” response would be. But God’s love gave us the greatest gift we could ever ask for, one we can’t earn or ever repay. That mercy is worthy of our worship and love (1 John 4:19).

How To Show Your Love For God

Loving God is the only reasonable response to His love. So what does that love look like in our daily lives? God tells us in scripture. Faith without works is dead and a love for God without outward expression is simply acknowledging His existence. Even the demons believe in God, yet their actions reveal where their loyalty remains.

God asks 2 things of us: Love Him and love Him by loving others.

1. Love God: Real love (agape) costs something, it’s sacrificial and selfless in nature. You don’t show your spouse you love them by doing what is easy, rather you go out of your way to prove your devotion. In the same way, we don’t love God by merely avoiding sins we’ve never struggled with and showing up to worship on Sundays. That may look “good,” but it costs us nothing. 2 Samuel 24:24 says “I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”

Luke 9:23 says “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” What does a modern day cross look like? It can be found where our weakest parts are. It is the struggles we face, the hard decisions we must make, and the things that we want to hold onto no matter what. Our priorities can show our hearts and desires. They can reveal our weak points, the things we don’t want to deny. If we want to examine ourselves and see how we show God we love Him, how we are willing to bear things with Him, we can ask these questions: 

• Where does the majority of my time go? (social media, sports, TV, friends, work, sleep, fun)
• Can people see that I’m a devoted christian? If not, why?
• What can I sacrifice to show God I prioritize our relationship?
• What part of my life am I embarrassed for God to see? (vices, language, friends, music, sin)
• What am I willing to give up or do without to strengthen my relationship with God?
• Which people in my life build up my relationship with God and who draws me further away from Him?

If loving God never interferes with our schedules, our impulses, our money, or our relationships, we are following Him on our own terms.

2. Love Others: Loving others is a timely topic. I implore Christians to remember that Jesus showed love to people who were considered unworthy of love and to people who straight up did not deserve it- And that glorified God. Today in 2026, we still do not get to decide who is worthy of our love and who isn’t. Every person you encounter is someone made in the image of God, and they should be treated like it. Choosing to be kind to everyone is an amazing way to show God you love Him more than you love yourself. That means:

• Stop being hateful and derogatory on the internet. Love and Truth are the greatest catalyst for change. 
• Don’t align yourself with hateful people or groups- Bad company corrupts good morals.
• Don’t encourage violent or harmful actions towards people you disagree with.
• Identify where you’re tempted to respond with apathy or hate rather than love.

If you disagree, you might need to reexamine your heart. Apathy towards others can keep people out of heaven, Jesus says so in Matthew 25. It can sometimes be difficult to find ways to show our love for others and for God so here are some ways to serve our neighbors: 

• Conversate with people you don’t understand instead of just having opinions about them. 
• Cook a meal for someone who is sick, recovering from surgery, or needs a break.
• Offer to buy Bibles or study resources for someone who can’t afford it.
• Take time out of your day to counsel and encourage a friend who needs Christ-like love.
• Visit a nursing home and ask how your church can serve residents who feel forgotten.
• Volunteer your time at a women’s shelter or a food bank.
• Offer food to a homeless person you pass instead of looking away.
• Donate food, hygiene items, money, or your time to a local nonprofit or church ministry.

If we misunderstand God, our love for Him will never satisfy us or Him. God does not want surface-level admiration; He wants our whole hearts, our whole lives. And when we see God for who He is, that goes from feeling like a burden to it being an honor and an instinctual response to the gratitude you feel. 

The only thing more powerful than hate is love. Love God, love others- It’s the greatest commandment and it covers a multitude of sins.

About the author: Madi Garst is a 24-year-old Christian living in Newcastle, Oklahoma. She earned her master’s degree from Oklahoma Christian University in 2024 and soon after married her amazing husband, Kale, a graduate of Bear Valley Bible Institute. Together, they attend Southwest Church of Christ in Oklahoma City and share a deep love for the Lord. In her spare time, Madi enjoys taking care of her houseplants, crafting, listening to worship music, spending time with family, and going on coffee dates with friends.

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Re'Elle Crowell

Re'Elle Crowell is a dedicated Christian who does her best to grow closer to God and help others do the same. She is an accountant, working remote for Liberty Mutual Insurance. In her free time she enjoys cooking, playing games, and reading. In addition to her work with Come Fill Your Cup as an editor, writer, and speaker, she has contributed to the second My Study Era women's devotional book, Excel Still More, and served as a counselor and instructor for Future Teacher Training Camp (FTTC).

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