Today, the Lord convicted me with a message that truly resonates if you take the time to listen. I'm not going to sugarcoat it see what I did there? but I have to keep it real.
At a recent church event, they handed out candy bags filled with chocolate and regular candies. Personally, I don't like when my chocolate starts to taste like my candy, and my candy starts to taste like my chocolate. Even if they're in separate wrappers with a clear distinction, being close together causes the flavors to merge. I don't want that mixture.
Instantly, the Holy Spirit gave me a revelation. He said, "Victoria, this is how I feel when I say I don't like lukewarm. I would literally rather not eat any of the candy if it tastes like each other than to have something that tastes like double." The Holy Spirit led me to Revelation 3:16: "So because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you. I will spit you out of my mouth." God doesn't like mix and matching. He is holy and has a standard.
You can't claim that God gave you an opportunity when that opportunity pulls you away from Him and does not honor His word.
One day, the Holy Spirit said, "Victoria, imagine you're in a relationship for two years and you only cheat on them for one day. Is that considered cheating?" I replied, "God, yes, that's considered cheating." He asked, "How about 10 years? Let's say you're in a long-lasting marriage for 10 years and they cheat on you for one day." I said, "Yes, God, that's considered cheating." He pressed, "Why? You've been with them for a long time. What makes the difference?" I explained, "It doesn't matter how long I've been with them. They broke the covenant between us. That hurts me." Then the Holy Spirit said, "Now you see how I feel." He continued, "So why is it that that's what I have to endure?"
He's a loving and forgiving God, but He'd much rather not claim you at all than to claim somebody who doesn't know what they really want.
Your word will no longer have value to a person you're in a relationship with if your actions do not line up with what you say. Jesus said, "If you love me, you'll keep my commandments." Simple as that.
You want to know if you love God? You strive every day to live a life that honors Him and follows His word. Period. We're not always perfect, but we should always be progressing.