So many of us struggle with God’s love. When we first come to know that we are loved, our reaction is something like, “Oh, isn’t it wonderful that God loves me!” If we could only stay with that pure, simple, child-like statement! But often it can become a little distorted and our thoughts of God’s love may actually become more of a burden….
As we live our lives, we like to do things ‘our way’. I may act out in anger, I may hurt someone, I may be totally selfish, I may put my own ego first (and this was just yesterday!!!). And then I am reminded – God loves me.
What comes next? Feelings of guilt and oppression? God loves me, how could I act like that? How could I think those thoughts? How could I say things like that? This really makes me feel bad – God….maybe you shouldn’t love me….it might be easier!
Here I go again….confusing the definition of God’s unconditional love with conditional love – the only kind of love that I am capable of.
The truth is that God loves us ‘in spite of ourselves’. His love does not depend on me and what I do. God’s love is a freedom, not a burden. He loves me as I am – flawed and broken. He sees and knows me and loves what he sees and knows. I don’t have to ‘clean myself up’ for him – I go to him as I am and he loves every bit of me! That is freedom!
So, at times I am:
The Prodigal Son
The Lost Sheep
The Lost Coin
How does that make me feel?
I only have to concentrate on the ‘ends’ of those stories…..
I am loved!
Reflections on the Journey 
Andie,
Great insight with this post. You are right. God loves every part of us. He loves the frazzled, scattered, qustioning, doubtful girl I am.
I like when I read something that hits me right where I am. Thanks.
You always allow me to see my relationship with God in a new light each time I visit your blog. I’m realizing now that we can do our best (which sometimes means simply letting go), but we shouldn’t be too hard on ourselves and therefore not allow ourselves to feel God’s love for us.
I can run to him “just as I am” and be confident that he can take what’s wrong in me and make it right. Even His correction is a sign that He loves me!
I think that is why we need to be like children – who seem to have the better reslience to accepting, even expecting love no matter what.
What a beautiful post here…..I love these thoughts. So many times I get caught in that trap of thinking that God’s love for me is measured by my own ability or inability to “do” what God expects. God IS love and His love for me is as unchanging as eternity. Thank you for this post today. Lori