"It takes faith to believe that God will reward you for seeking Him. And that faith, is built on the trust that He will do what He says and be the loving God we seek." Kathy Spampinato

In our current culture there are many who struggle with long term relationships, and have trouble trusting them, or trusting their partner. Yet they keep trying, seeking the fulfillment of their own need for love and understanding. My question to you today is: do you have commitment issues in your relationship with God? There are a number of factors that lead to commitment phobia, such as fear of being hurt, fear of being with the wrong person, fear of things not working out, fear of being rejected or abandoned, or fear that the other person will not give you the thing you need. You can also fear that they will not reciprocate your love and commitment. You put so much hope into your interactions, but you are still unsure if you can trust the person. These same anxieties can come between you and God.

The main thing to realize about our commitment issues is that they are based in fear. If we were to dig a little bit, we might discover that our anxiety has developed because of our own insecurity, our childhood experiences, or trauma from past relationships. We just don't want to be hurt again. Our self-defense walls are up!

When you look at your relationship with God what do you see? Are you hesitant to be honest and tell Him how you really feel? Are you holding back because you don't trust Him with your heart? Have the traumas of your life caused you to mistrust God? Do you really think He will abandon you in your time of need? Do you fear that He is just not going to take care of you? Is He distant and unreliable? Is He "just not that into you?" When we look again at these questions we see two things. First, we see that we have put limitations on God's love, because of what we've experienced with people. The second is that we don't trust God, because we really do not know His character or believe what He says.

The Bible has some insight as to who God is, and what He is like. For me, I began to trust God, only when I decided that I would trust His Word. I would rely on it, and believe that it was the truth. What it said, was right. If I did not initially believe something the Bible said, I would not dismiss it. I would change my opinion. This simple decision caused a transformation of my mind and heart, and caused seeds of trust to sprout and grow. God's love and faithfulness grew trust and faith in Him, in my heart.

Hebrews 11:6 NKJV says, "Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

It takes faith to believe that God will reward you for seeking Him. And that faith, is built on the trust that He will do what He says and be the loving God we seek. God's Word warns us not to apply what we see in people, to God. He is not unjust, unfaithful, or unloving, no matter what we've experienced in life.

Romans 12:2 NIV "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, "declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Let's look at the evidence of your belief. If someone were to take a look at your life: how you live, what you spend your time doing, who you trust, and what comes out of your mouth, would that evidence be enough to reveal you as a believer? Would it show that your trust is in God or in the patterns of the world? If a court of law were to present the evidence of how you think, feel, and behave, would there be enough evidence to determine that you are guilty of believing? Would it show that you are trusting God and walking in faith or would the evidence point to fear of commitment to God and to His kingdom? Maybe it's time to trust God with your heart and your future. He is faithful!

1 John 1:7 " But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his son, purifies us from all sin."

As you read this today, perhaps you have realized that you have believed a lie about God, or about yourself. It is time to reveal the truth of what's in your heart and allow God to bring healing to you. Your fear of commitment to God shows your lack of trust in His character, but you do not need to stay in that spot, or continue to believe the lie instigated by your fear. You can confess your fear of commitment to God, and He can bring comfort to you.

John 8:32 "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."