Simply not as simple as it sounds...

Plain and simple.  The words of John MacArhur in his book,  "Abiding in Christ":

"Have you ever tried to read the Bible and found it boring? When you've witnessed, have you felt like you've had ashes in your mouth? Maybe you've prayed in a superficial sense: "Bless the missionaries; now I lay me down to sleep. Amen." You go through the motions but you don't sense any spiritual life. 
If that's the case, let me encourage you to work on your relationship with Jesus. Don't concentrate on the deeds because they will be the joyful result of that relationship. God wants your life to be fruitful even more than you do. But you can't do one thing yourself to produce it. Just be close to Jesus by being in the Word, and by loving and obeying Him, and you will find His energy surging through you to produce fruit. The result will be joy. John 15:11 says, "These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." Would you like to live in the midst of full joy? You say, "What will I have to do? Win eighty-four souls to Christ a month?" No. One thing: abide."

This book is online, I read it when I *remember to spend time with Christ and study scripture.  The truth is, we are called to abide in Christ.  What does abide really mean?  To remain with, to reside with, to act in accordance with, to follow..... The only way we can do this is to open his Word, and spend time with Him.  Yes, like a real relationship.  I am often humbled when I think of how this relationship (between me and God) should work.  In relationships, you love the other... put them first... think of them often... speak to them, bounce concerns off of them and many more.   Do I do those things with my God?  Not as often as I should, and I wonder why my own self sufficiency won't get me through the tough times.  It's not meant to be me against the world.  It's meant to be me, my God... and the rest flows naturally.  My joy is His joy.   


Just a thought that humbled me.