Relaxing With God

I am reading a book by Andrew Farley entitled, "Relaxing With God."

I am only on chapter 3, but it is proving to be a great book, and something that is really needed in my life. It's about trying to prove your worth or goodness by works.

He says, "We start to think that we need long list of instructions to be "good" Christians-to get right and stay right with God."

In chapter 2, Farley asks two questions:
1. Do I genuinely believe that God's message through Jesus is supposed to be simple?
2. Do I genuinely believe that the gospel is designed to bring me to a place of real spiritual relaxation?

He goes on to say that the kind of works that please God actually come from relaxing with him.

This is why the author of Hebrews tells us to "make every effort to enter that rest."

Making an effort to rest may sound like a completely paradoxical statement, if it weren't for the fact that it takes a "concerted effort on our part to get to the place where we can truly relax with God."

My Obsessive Compulsive Disorder has always been motivated by not feeling good enough. Several times , I have taken the standard diagnostic test for OCD.
The questions usually assume that someone with OCD is motivated to act out their compulsions because, if they don't, something horrible will happen.

However, that has never been the case for me. I don't fear some catastrophic event or life threatening illness if I do or don't do certain things. When asked by therapists, the same phrase always comes to mind, "I haven't done enough." In other words, if I don't don't engage in certain compulsive behaviors, then I'm not good enough. In reality, it's that I believe that God is not enough.

I have to continue engraving God's truth on my heart and mind. I am completely worthy and acceptable, not because of my performance, but because of Christ's performance on the cross. When I come to a place of complete acceptance of this truth, relaxing with God won't seem like such an effort.

Scripture verse:

"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:29).