With Lent drawing to a close and in my last post surrounding a strong spiritual foundation, I think it’s fitting to talk about God’s love for us. Specifically, the personal and unconditional relationship He desires to have with us. This also ties in nicely with other posts about how our emotions can influence our state of mind in a negative way and that God can and will help guide us through that. I heard this in a sermon the other day “Where God guides, God provides.”
In some way, many if not all of us struggle in our relationships. Sometimes it’s that we don’t feel close to those around us and we feel alone. We may actually be alone, not having friends or family. We may harbor feelings of anger or resentment that separate us from people or we have anti-social tendencies like depression or anxiety or fear. Then there’s always our relationship with ourselves. Is this a positive one? How do we see ourselves? Do we like spending time with “me”? As in any relationship, it’s a two way street. Even with ourselves, I would argue, there is the other that we play and contend with. There is a give and take and communication in any form, be it verbal or non-verbal, that is required in the relationship. Which brings us to our relationship with God.
We likely struggle in this too! It may even be non-existent, in that we don’t believe, we have turned away because of some tragedy, or that we are on the fence. I know myself, I don’t communicate with God enough. We are called to surrender our worries and fears, balanced with offering praise and thanksgiving. In typical human fashion, I complain to God, ask Him to take away burdens and struggles, and although I’m getting better, I don’t offer enough praise and thanksgiving. I forget who is responsible when things are going well and life is good. My side of the street is littered with inadequacy, faults, negative lines of thinking, etc. All things that are hindering my relationship with God, as those things would in any relationship. However, we are blessed in that God overlooks all those things and wants us to just spend time with Him. He wants to be our friend, our support system. The one who celebrates our victories and consoles our sadness. He wants the best for us. He loves us.
At one time, I found this definition of love. “Giving what they need when they need it most but they least deserve it, at the greatest personal cost.” God does that everyday. Even more, He does this unconditionally. I don’t have anyone I can ever think of that comes close to that. Many people have cared for me and loved me in my life’s journey yet it has and never will be with the perfection that God does. And that’s okay; I’m not saying it should be. I just offer the stark comparison as evidence that there is nowhere else we have a relationship like we do with God. And how cool is that!? No matter what, God’s got me. I hardly deserve that kind of love and I need it always because it’s my reason for existence. God gave His very life for my soul; the greatest personal cost. All out of love that I don’t need to earn, prove anything, or even ask for. It’s just there to accept.
Whenever I feel I need to justify my belief in God, I think of this relationship. I think, if my life went to hell in a handbasket and everything I know fell apart, what would sustain me? I lost my relationships, my health, my job, my home; what would keep me alive? God’s love. His wonderful, perfect, unconditional love. We don’t need to hold up our end of the bargain in order to receive it. Even the worst most terrible beings that have ever existed are still offered this eternal gift. It’s up to us to accept it and to allow God to enter our hearts and be the very center of who we are.
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