Compelled

For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 2 Corinthians 5:14‭-‬15 NIV

I won't lie: this verse leaves me scratching my head a bit. It gets wordy, which makes it difficult to understand. So I had to break it down piece by piece. The part I like best is the first sentence. Christ's love compels us.

If you're like me, a gym holds no interest for you. And no matter how many times you tell yourself, yure not taking that walk you said you were going to do. You're not going to use those weights or bands you bought to work out at home. It's all good. You know this about yourself so you do what you need to do: you take a group fitness class. Never in your life would you do 50 jumping jacks or pushups on your own. But when 30 other people are doing it, you are compelled to not look like a slacker. Before you know it, you're leading the class because you know you will work out if you teach. It compels you to keep going...for your students of course.

This is only a fraction of the level of Christ's love that pushes us to not live for ourselves but for him. It's what gets us out of bed. It's what makes us turn the other cheeck. It's what allows us to love the unloved. It's what gives us our moral compass. It compels us.

So the next time you don't feel like praying but you pray anyway, that's God working his way in you, compelling you to push through even when you think you can't.