God loves you.
A lot of people don't believe that. First they have to get over the hurdle of believing God exists. Then they have a few more hurdles.
-Some don't believe themselves worthy of love, don't feel lovable.
-Some don't want to be loved by God because while they believe He exists, they don't like Him much.
-Some have run into bad experiences with others who God loves, and who say they love God and it has given them a sour stomach about God in general.
And then there are people like me... who are perfectly willing to believe God loves them, and also sorta thinks they deserve that love.
Arrogant much?
I grew up in a loving home, my parents love me, and taught me God loved me. The human evidence for this in my life is ample. I look at other people who love me and say 'yeah, okay I get that I'm lovable, and that people love me, it's not hard to image God does too.'
The fact that as humans we're often very bad proof of God's love to one another, is a human failing. God loves you so much, whether or not you believe He does, but if you're looking to me for proof, you're looking in the wrong spot. I screw up often. I'm supposed to love you, but at times, I'm a self centered, failed human being who opts for the lazy thing and that is to simply not show you love.
Instead look to what God did. He gave up His son to be tortured and killed badly. To be embarrassed and humbled. To be spit upon, he made a trade. He traded what He valued most, to prove His love for you.
So here I am, saying 'yup! Easy to believe! Yup God would totally do that for anyone! And I amongst so many sorta deserve it. I mean. I'm not supposed to SAY I deserve it, but secretly inside I'm enough of an ego maniac to believe I do deserve it because I'M AWESOME!.
Until I'm not.
I'm awesome until I'm not.
In those moments when I fail, when my confidence plummets. God loves me still. Yet I don't feel lovable.
My mistake was, thinking I was somehow earning God's love. Turns out, that's not possible. I can't earn it, nor deserve it.
God loved us, so much that He did what He did, even when we are at our worst.
So.. wait, I don't get it. God loves us, whether we like it or not, whether we accept it or not, whether we deserve it or not, or earn it or not... I mean are there any conditions?
No.
It's true unconditional love. Mind.. blown. Like I know it on paper, but in reality I'm always trying to be good enough to deserve it. But I can't deserve it and I don't need to.
He loves me, mister type A personality high performing professional individual as much as he loves that annoying person I sometimes wish I didn't have to interact with. God loves THEM the same as me.
But.. but.. I'm more lovable.
Not to God. No one is more popular to God, everyone is equally popular and loved to Him.
So what's the catch here? Seriously... no one really loves anyone unconditionally right?
Well... if God loves us... why would a loving God allow _____(fill in your favorite atrocity here)____?
I don't know. I am not even attempting to explain it, because you might as well as me to explain to you the unknown undiscovered secrets of universes that lie beyond our own.
It is outside of my mental capabilities to fully grasp and understand. It just is. I'm certain it'll all make total sense one day.
I mean my faith makes sense. I'm not a person who runs around saying 'God says this and I believe it!' no I test things and try them and think on them and research them.
But there are some things that are unknowable. If you refuse to admit that, your life will have a moment of humbling at some point in your future, and I wish you the best of luck.
I think we all have to come to a point where we say 'This is true, and I know it, and I have reasons, but I admit I'm not as smart as God.'
Okay so God loves me.
There's my confidence.
There's my identity.
Who am I?
-I tell myself I'm a good guy, I tell myself I'm a failure at times.
-God says I'm His and He loves me, and I'm valuable to Him.
Hrm... which sounds better to me?
What makes me His? - Well when you love something you want it to love you back. I mean dogs are masters of this right? They love you back when you show them love.
What makes me His is that I know Him, who He is, and I love Him. I choose Him, unknowable bits and all, because He loved me, He put action behind those words, and sacrificed a lot to win my love to Him. And I give that love to Him every day. He then asks me to show love to others. I'll admit I screw that up daily. But I'm trying.
Love and kindness, is what this world needs more of. We're letting it slip from our grasps.
God has an ample supply for all of us. Tap into it.
I'm always willing to talk about how to tap into it if you have questions. Contact me.
chad[@]gimpel.tv
