God’s Love for Us
Sometimes the best way to understand something is by comparing it to what it’s not. In my life, I’ve learned the most about God’s love for me through the ways I’ve been imperfectly loved by other people.
The ones that left me and chose to walk away taught me what it means to be loved by a God who will never leave me or forsake me. Even on my worst days, God chooses to stay. What a powerful contrast.
The people who haven’t been loyal or haven’t understood me have shown me what a friend I have in Jesus— that he’s walked all the difficulties I have and empathizes with what I’m going through. He keeps showing up for me. He knows when all I want is his presence, someone to sit in the quiet with me. He’s the friend who sticks closer than a brother.
The people who have had motives and wanted something I could offer them instead of just loving my company and loving me for who I am have taught me that God doesn’t have an agenda. His love for me is not conditional and based on what I can do for him. Even before I decided to have anything to do with God, he loved me and made sacrifices for me. His greatest desire is my heart and my attention.
I’m learning that just because a relationship doesn’t turn out how I want it to doesn’t mean that it was a waste. Often the most painful relationships were so necessary— to serve the purpose of pointing me to God— to Love himself. All the times people have fallen short, God has been there to pick up the pieces and show me his love for me never fails. His perfect love doesn’t even know how to hurt me or let me down.
I wonder if there are relationships you’ve experienced that have left you feeling unloved— can you take those and hold them next to God‘s love for you? They can’t compare to how deep, how high, how wide his love is for you. God’s love for you never gets tired, it never gets bored or uninterested with you. It never fades or lessens. It doesn’t quit when things get hard. It never leaves, even when the sun goes down. Nothing can ever separate you from the love of God.
