Matthew 22:37 English Standard Version (ESV) And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

Mark 12:30 English Standard Version (ESV) And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

Luke 10:27 English Standard Version (ESV) And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

Matthew was the only synoptic gospel writer who was one of the twelve original apostles. Note closely that his version did not include the word strength. Mark and Luke experienced human effort in obedience of love. Matthew did not feel the necessity of human effort because he walked with Jesus while Jesus ministered love to the world perfectly.

Seeing love modeled in a personal relationship should be effortless but we are human and without a proper vision of that love we tend to make efforts to attain to it. Our flesh will make it feel like a strenuous effort. We will struggle, it takes supernatural strength we do not possess.

A word from a wise elder helps ease that struggle. “Let go and let God.”

Being in control is something we all experience. Being out of control feels terrible. Letting go and letting God is a step of faith that requires complete trust in our God. God loves those we do not and we are called to love the unlovely. Allowing God to love them through us takes an obedience of faith that most of us struggle with.

Letting go and letting God is something that is achieved by developing more trust in God more than ever before. That takes time and experience. We should not expect instant results.

Be patient with self.