Often, I reflect on how I got to where I am today. So many things could have and should have derailed me, yet here I am.
When you look to your past, can you see how the Lord had His hand on you? Moving life around in a way that would eventually bring you to know Him? I am in awe of God and how no matter what terrible or chaotic things were happening in my life, no matter what stupid and sinful choices I made, He seemed to pull me through and towards Him until I met Him one day and finally surrendered. He never gave up pursuing me.
Now that I am saved, GUESS WHAT? Nothing has changed. He still pursues me just as much.
Romans 14 talks about those who are weak in the faith and those who are strong.
Romans 14:4c TPT, “And God’s servants WILL succeed, for God’s power supports them and enables them to stand.”
I thought… the times I feel weak, “God’s power supports ME and enables ME to stand.” And when I feel strong, “God’s power supports Me and enables ME to stand.”
Paul understood this…
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” – 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ESV
When I am weak, I am strong because the LORD is supporting and carrying me. When I am feeling strong, the Lord covers me and protects me from myself, my pride, and my self-reliance.
God never stops pursuing you. He won’t fail you. He will not forget you. He will not turn His back on you. He will not abandon you. He will not throw you away. Despite your mistakes, lack, sin, failures, and unbelief, God’s LOVE for you is more powerful than all of those things. The feeling that no matter how hard you try, you are just one big disappointment to Him, and you struggle to please Him, to do what is good and right… God doesn’t feel that way. God does not struggle to love you, to want you, or desire you. God will never let you go. You are the most precious thing to Him in all of the universe. He will never quit chasing after you. You are His love, His treasure, His prized possession, His cherished and precious daughter.
Did you ever sing the song “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands” when you were little? I’m aging myself a little. I would sing it as a kid and picture these giant hands cupped, with a little blond girl (me) sitting in the middle being carried around. Because that is exactly where the Bible says we are… (POWERFUL Verses)
• Psalm 27:10: Even if my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will hold me close.
• Isaiah 41:10: Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
• Isaiah 41:13: For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
• Psalm 63:8: My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.
• Isaiah 46:4: I will be your God throughout your lifetime – until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.
• Isaiah 49:16: Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.
• Psalm 139:10: Even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.
• Psalm 73:23: Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand.
Do you think the Lord is stronger than your mistakes? Your failures? Your PAST? Your incapability to “get it”? Do you fear the enemy can snatch you from His hand? Do you think he is that sly or clever?
Maybe you are hung up on EVENTS that have happened in your life and think, “Well, if God loved me, He would never have allowed this to happen.”
Dan Allender (Christian therapist, author, and professor focusing on sexual abuse and trauma recovery) wrote:
“If God’s goodness is looked for primarily in terms of events, then the verdict on his heart toward us will always hang on the arrival of a new set of facts. The evil one uses the pain and confusion of a fallen world to shadow doubt over God’s goodness. Forgiveness is the light that penetrates the dark and frees the heart to leap with love.“
John Eldredge (Author and psychotherapist) writes (READ THIS CAREFULLY):
“The pain and disappointments of life erode our confidence in the goodness of God.
And we have an enemy.
There are powerful forces at work in the world, forces from the kingdom of darkness that want to use our heartaches to cause us to doubt God’s goodness and his love for us.
How can we be sure?
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person, someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:6-8
Where in all the world has God most proved his love for you?
At the cross, in the sacrifice of his own Son for you. There is no greater expression of his love for you. Let’s listen to that passage (Romans 5:8) in a few more translations.
“Yet the proof of God’s amazing love is this: that it was while we were sinners that Christ died for us.”
“But God clearly shows and proves his own love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Does God love you? Does He see you?
THE CROSS REMOVES ALL DOUBT.
31 So, what does all this mean? If God has determined to stand with us, tell me, who then could ever stand against us? 32 For God has proved his love by giving us his greatest treasure, the gift of his Son. And since God freely offered him up as the sacrifice for us all, He certainly won’t withhold from us anything else He has to give.
35 “Who could ever divorce us from the endless love of God’s Anointed One? Absolutely no one! For nothing in the universe has the power to diminish His love toward us.
38So now I live with the confidence that there is nothing in the universe with the power to separate us from God’s love. I’m convinced that his love will triumph over death, life’s troubles, fallen angels, or dark rulers in the heavens.
There is nothing in our present or future circumstances that can weaken His love.
39There is no power above us or beneath us—no power that could ever be found in the universe that can distance us from God’s passionate love, which is lavished upon us through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One!” – Romans 8:31-32, 35, 38-39 TPT
When you receive the revelation that you are incapable of ruining God’s love for you, you will be able to confidently walk ahead in freedom and in the grace God has for you.
Yes, you will mess up, fail, sin, or sometimes feel distant. Yes, difficult, or even terrible events will happen, and the enemy will attempt to get you to question the reality of God’s love…
But don’t quit. Choose to renew your mind to the truth. You can KNOW what is true and be confident in His Word.
THE CROSS REMOVES ALL DOUBT.
You will make it. And God’s love is for you, with you, around you.
I will leave you with this beautiful yet powerful prayer Paul wrote to the Ephesians:
“I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.
And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” – Ephesians 3:14-19
I pray for you, and I love you, my sweets!!
PS. My next post will elaborate on God’s love for us, regardless of the events that have happened or are happening in our lives. I hope it will bless you!
