Worthy To Be Loved

God’s love is true and reliable, but sometimes we don’t feel worthy to be loved by God. If you can relate, don't miss my devotional today, "When God Serenades You."
Sometimes because of things that happened in our past we think the Lord could never love us. At other times, we let our affection for God grow dim when we experience unexpected troubles or sorrows. These types of experiences can also make us feel as if God has turned His back on us and withheld His love. This is the way I felt after my husband’s death. With fear and trembling, I nervously wondered, “Has God taken His hands off the wheel of my life? Has He left me to spin helplessly out of control?”

Most days were a blur after I returned home from Porter’s funeral. I couldn’t focus on cleaning. I couldn’t even concentrate on my son. Sadness was my only garment. I couldn’t seem to toss if off or exchange it for something lighter and easier to wear. No, the heaviness of my pain and fear were more than I could bear at times. All I thought was, “God, where are you? Don’t you care?”

Perhaps, you’ve felt the same way. We tend to think that once we belong to God we are placed inside a spiritual bubble that protects us from all adversity, worry, and fear. We assume that experiencing peace and happiness show we have a caring Father. But when we experience trials, we question his love. Yet, the truth is this. Even the children of God are not promised a life free from troubles. Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:32).

No, God had not taken His hands off the wheel of my life or yours. He is aware of our circumstances and is in complete control. Still, when life suddenly turns stormy and unexpected events occur, we doubt God’s love. Trials and troubles in our lives don’t mean that God doesn’t care. During these times when we feel alone and betrayed, we must not give an ear to Satan’s lies. Instead, we must trust that God is acting in love on our behalf even in dire circumstances. Even though our fears and emotions my lead us to believe otherwise, God, and what He allows into our lives, is always motivated by one thing---love.

Have you ever wondered what’s on the heart of God? Is it world hunger, war, UFO’s, or simply the mind-draining task of running the universe? While these things may be on the mind of God, you and I are the precious treasures that are on His heart. Before we were born, God knew all about us. He knew what we would fear, the troubles we would face, and the mistakes we would make. Yet, He chose to love us anyway. “You did not choose me, but I chose you” (John 15:16a). Therefore, we can experience His love without shame or fear, knowing that troubles do not mean God doesn’t care. It means He does care. Every move God makes on our behalf is based on love. God allows the hard things in life to develop genuine faith in us so that we are able to stand when the next storm comes our way.

Understanding this truth about God helped me to see that God is not against me. He is for me. When anxious times enter my life, I strengthen my faith by reciting what I know to be true.

“Lord, I trust that you are with me. I know that you will never leave me nor forsake me. I am not alone. You care for me. You are my provider and you have a special, perfect plan for me. It’s a plan to bring me good not bad. I do not have to be afraid for you are faithful. What I’m experiencing now may not be what I want or what I had planned for my life, but I trust you, Lord.”
When we can say these things, we know that our faith is becoming stronger than our fears.

(This excerpt was taken from Micca’s Book, An Untroubled Heart.)

I Corinthians 13:1-13 is called the Love Chapter of the Bible. This passage describes how God loves us and how He wants us to love others. The thing is…we can’t do it alone. It takes supernatural power to love others as we have been loved by God. The world teaches us that love is selfish, but God says that loves considers others first.
For example, compare the verses about love in 1 Cor to the superficial love found in the world …

God says love should be directed toward others

The world says love should be directed toward ourselves.

God says love is patient and kind.
The world says love satisfies your immediate needs.

God says love is never jealous or envious.
The world says love means you deserve the best.

If you would like the complete list of “God’s Love vs The Worlds Love” leave your email address in my comment section and I’ll send it to you over the weekend.

Happy Valentine's Day!