What a day to appreciate.

“The way to disengage the heart from the love of one object is to fasten it in positive love to another. It is not by exposing the worthlessness of the former, but by addressing the worth and excellence of the latter that all old things are to be done away and all things are to become new. The only way to dispossess the heart of an old affection is by the expulsive power of a new one.”

-Thomas Chalmers

My church pastor preached about this on Sunday. The first commandment is love the Lord your God. With all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. If I do this everything should fall in place. Let me try to explain as he did. If its money I’m seeking after it will undoubtedly turn out to be a mistake. It will not satisfy me in the end. It is worthless. When I put forth an effort to turn from this there might be a void inside me. I first need to focus on filling it with God. This means I am ‘addressing the worth and excellence of the latter.’ Aka God. He is the only one who makes all things new. He will start working in me. He is worthy and excellent! I should love him with all my heart. soul. mind. and strength. Now, once I do this, I will be able to fully reach out to others and love them. Which is the second greatest commandment. But is equally important. The only way to do this is loving God. Because the love of the father is in me. (1 john). Therefore it is impossible to love others without loving God first. Or at all. So instead of focusing on the current sin or struggle look to God and love him. If we love him with everything inside of us, the old thing might be done away with. Something new and good will happen. Maybe loving others.

‘The only way to dispossess the heart of an old affection is by the expulsive power of a new one.’