9 Things Inside You that God Wants to Love

Excerpted from “God Will Make a Way: Personal Discovery Guide” by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend

Here is a brief list of some of the most important aspects of your inner being. These pieces of you all need to be joined to God so that they can take part in helping you find his way.

1. Values. Our values make up what is important to us and what is not. What is important to God needs to be important to you. Some core values might be that God is real, that he loves you, and that following him is the most important thing you can do. Our values guide and direct us. When we don’t love God with our values – that is, when we don’t derive our values from him we are sure to go astray.

2. Passions. Often people are hesitant to let God into their passions. But when you turn your passions over to God, he can transform them into passions that work for and with him. It’s good to remember that God is the Author of passion. Allow your love for God to fuel your passions.

3. Emotions. God created us with a wide range of emotions, which serve as a signal for us to let us be aware of the state of our soul. Are we afraid and in danger, joyful and feeling loved, at peace, angry, or sad? When we love God with our feelings, positive and negative, he uses them to help us grow and learn about ourselves.

4. Hurts. God will make a way when you allow him into the places of your wounds. Remember that he is no stranger to hurt, and he will heal your wounds when you give them to him.

5. Loves. Sometimes we love those who are good for us, and sometimes we love those who are not so good fur us. When you bring your loves to God, he transforms what we love so that we begin to invest in and trust the right people.

6. Motives. Underlying our choices in life are our motives, which are our deeper reasons for our actions. Expose these motives (being caring, responsible, and free; being self-protective, fearful, or selfish) to God so that he can transform them into motives like his own.

7. Sins. We harbor sinful thoughts, speak sinful words, and do sinful deeds. When you bring your sins to God he forgives, freely heals, and provides a way to work through them and find victory and freedom.

8. Talents. God designed all of us with strengths and gifts so that we can take part in helping others have a better life. Love God with your talents

9. Preferences and Opinions. Don’t be afraid to bring to God your unique preferences (a certain kind of church or worship style, certain types of people). He will make a way for you to sort out your preferences and use them to make a better life.