“Not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.”—Romans 14:7–8 NASB

It can be natural to think about ourselves first: our needs and interests, our feelings and pleasures. But everything changes when we surrender our lives to Jesus. He becomes our Lord. If He is Lord, we always are to serve and trust Him. We are not to think about ourselves first anymore; we need to think about others instead. We are not to worry about anything, but we are to allow Him to meet our needs. If we continue to struggle, we can remember the simple guideline that Paul gave: We are to be completely committed to God’s Kingdom in every part of our lives. The Bible teaches that success comes to those who make this total commitment. Their life is the Lord’s. They realize, like Paul, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). This commitment can relieve us of many burdens. It frees us from cares and worries about our lives, our reputations, and how our needs will be met. When we are committed to Him, we simply serve Him all the time and are vessels for His Spirit. And we completely trust in Him for everything. Today, surrender your life anew to God. Throughout the day, consider what this means. Take joy in serving Him, and don’t seek credit for yourself. Trust in Him for everything! No matter what happens, you are His. Make a total commitment to Jesus!

Reflection Question: Compose a prayer of commitment.

“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments … are summed up in this word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”—Romans 13:8–9 ESV

What is the motivation for our actions? The promise of entertainment or pleasure? Meeting our needs? Receiving rewards? Just doing what has been directed by an employer? Trying to avoid trouble? Pleasing others? Revenge? Anger? Fear? These are examples of common motivations. But the Bible provides a motivation that is more powerful and effective than any others—love. Individually, we can examine all the commandments in the Bible. We can know all the rules and principles. But the Bible tells us that every commandment can be summarized in this way: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Why is this so powerful? The Bible tells us that love is completely selfless. Love is “patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude … It is not irritable or resentful. It only “rejoices with the truth.” Instead of insisting on its own way, love “endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:4–7). If we do this consistently, we will be sure to fulfill every other commandment. We will not kill, steal, or lust. We will not take advantage of others. We will not gossip. We will not have any other gods besides our God. Today, remember that love is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23). It is a by-product of a life surrendered to God. Ask Him to fill your heart with His love. Make that your motivation in everything you do.

Reflection Question: How can you practically show your love for someone today?