Accepting The Unearned Gift of God's Love: A Former Striver's Journey
Quick, how many of you can finish the lyrics below?
“Jesus loves me! This I know. For the Bible tells me so.”
It’s okay if you are unsure or do not know. At some point in the song, it says “Yes, Jesus loves me”, repeatedly. Followed by, “For the Bible tells me so.” A popular hymn sung in Sunday school, a delightful, simple song that reminds us that Jesus loves us, was written by Anna Bartlett Warner.
I wonder what Anna’s thought process was when writing the hymn. As a child, I sang the words she wrote. From what I can remember, the hymn was fun to sing. I didn’t quite fully understand the weight of what I was singing, but it brought me joy.
Struggling to Believe It
As an adult, I found myself struggling to believe the words of the hymn. I just didn’t understand the concept of God loving me. There was always a part of me that felt lacking and didn’t understand why others seemed to enjoy the love of Christ while I struggled to comprehend it.
I believed the scenario would play out the same way every time. As if God had favorites and they were all on one side with him, experiencing everything he had to offer. On the other hand, I felt trapped on the other side. The bridge I saw as my only means of crossing was broken.
When you desperately desire to experience what others are experiencing with God, what do you do? To reach him, I had no choice but to repair the broken bridge. I had to work harder. Do more devotionals, attend more church services, study my Bible more, etc. I tried my hardest to do the ‘right’ things as a Christian to build that bridge. Honestly, it was never enough. I still felt behind. When I did what was ‘right’, I still felt empty and felt even further from God. My works were supposed to earn his love, or so I thought.
The realization that I would never be able to cross that bridge took me eight long years to fully comprehend. On my own at least. In order to receive his love, I believed that I would have to do all the work and do the right things. Don’t get me wrong, devotionals, studying the Bible, and attending church are not bad. But it is not a means to earn the Lord’s love.
Accepting His Free Gift
The work I did was for something that was already free. God loved me and chose me before I was born. Not only did he love and choose me before I was born, but he did so before he created the world. Good news! I was not the only one he chose, but you were chosen as well!
“THE WORK I DID WAS FOR SOMETHING THAT WAS ALREADY FREE. ”
As Ephesians 1:4 says, “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.”
God is all-knowing. He knew that when we stepped foot on this earth we would fall short and sin. Yet, he still loved and chose us. God’s love is a free gift. This is not only a free gift but a gift from God Himself!
It changed my life when I realized that God’s love is a gift that cannot be earned but is simply received. That may seem like an easy concept to accept but I can’t help but wonder why we strive to earn his love.
Perhaps some of us were raised in an environment in which we had to earn approval and love in order to receive them. Others of us may feel as though we are undeserving of love due to our past and mistakes. Additionally, we live in a society in which the more success you achieve, the more love and approval you receive.
God taught me to receive his love through the season of writing my third book. When I asked him what the topic should be about, he revealed that it should be about his love. I was quite frightened by the topic. I didn’t feel qualified or knowledgeable to even write the book. How could someone like me who struggles in this area even be given such a task? Even in thinking of that moment now, I am reminded of 2 Corinthians 12:8-9, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” The journey that he took me on and still has me on has been nothing short of amazing.
Funny enough, God has used the very things that I used to build the broken bridge to help me understand and receive his love. In my view, reflecting the image of what a Christian should be as a means of receiving God’s love. After all, I was doing all the ‘right’ things.
Relationship > Religion
I was practicing religion rather than relationship. In this season of my life, I’ve come to a better understanding that I was chasing the wrong thing. Religion tells you to work until you earn. Truth is, we could never match up to such a standard. However, our Heavenly Father chose us knowing that we would never be able to reach any standard.
God also revealed to me his love through the sacrifice of his only son. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life,” John 3:16. Despite the fact that we are sinners, God still chose to love us unconditionally. His love was displayed on the cross as Jesus died for our sins. God loved us so much that he was willing to not just sacrifice his Son, but his perfect Son who knew no sin just so we could be saved. That’s the greatest and ultimate statement of love.
There is nothing that will ever compare to the weight of the cross. Yet rather than leave us in our mess, God once again chose us. Someone who was blameless took the ultimate punishment for us. When we make mistakes, people can sometimes hold them against us. It could lead to others withdrawing their love from us, but God’s love is immovable and unconditional. The amount of love he has is greater than that of all the population on earth combined. Truly powerful.
Now when I sing, “Yes Jesus loves me, for the Bible tells me so”, I can now sing those words with acceptance and belief. Knowing that I do not have to strain myself to obtain something that has already been granted to me is very comforting.
“THE SHAPE OF TRUE LOVE ISN’T A DIAMOND. IT’S A CROSS”
— ALICIA BRUXVOORT
Acts chapter 9 is one of my favorite examples of how God’s love is like nothing else. In Acts, we find Saul, someone who persecuted God’s people. He was eager to kill God’s children, yet God approached him. Fast forward, it was Saul who became known as Paul, who was used by God to spread the gospel.
Imagine. Someone set out to kill the people you love, yet you choose them. You still love them. Most people would be angry and even vengeful. A person who was eager to kill God’s people was still chosen and loved by God. Wow! Just wow! God is the most powerful and almighty being. He didn’t need Paul but he wanted him. He chose him. He loved him.
Paul is a prime example of how your past doesn’t stop God’s love for you. Just as God chose and loved Paul, he has chosen you and he loves you.
Your mistakes do not define you. Be like Paul, let your eyes focus on God’s love rather than letting your past dictate your future. It is truly a peaceful place to be when one accepts Christ and chooses to walk in the freedom of receiving his love.
It is crazy how God’s love is beyond our comprehension and yet I am overjoyed by what I do understand. I want that for you.
“God’s love is like an ocean. You can see its beginning, but not its end.” Rick Warren
Next Steps
After all, I’ve said, you may still be wondering, I wish I could receive his love or I wish I knew how. Listen, it not only took me eight years to get here, but I struggle with it from time to time even now. I still at times get caught up in the cycle of working to earn but staying connected to the Holy Spirit has helped me remember God’s love for me.
I now practice and walk in relationship rather than religion. The Spirit aids me in operating from the mindset that God’s love doesn’t need to be earned. My attendance at church and study of the Bible are not for the purpose of earning, but rather for the purposes of receiving and learning more about God’s word and fellowship with other believers. My focus is no longer on completing tasks as a means to an end, but on honoring my Heavenly Father.
Not that transformation happens overnight, but God’s love surrounds you. It has never and will never leave your side. And just like I and others walk in the freedom of God’s love, you can too.
A few tips that help me along my journey are prayer, dates with God, devotionals, and attending church.
Prayer is where I started. In the beginning, I was so desperate to get to God that I asked for his help with the plan that I created. Work to earn. I invite you to pray that God removes the veil from your eyes that has been preventing you from receiving and walking in his love.
After realizing that I was chasing religion I learned about relationship. Just like any relationship, you take the time out to speak with them, hang with them, pray with them, etc. You can do the same thing with God. I’ll even take it a step further, have some fun with God. Dine with him, watch a movie, paint, etc. We may not be able to see God physically. However, he is with us spiritually. God is everywhere. He’s in the wind, the air we breathe, the ripples in the water, etc. When you chase relationship rather than religion it not only grows you and your relationship with God but it also increases your love for him.
Devotionals are a way to help you study the Bible and have a breakdown and understanding of the topic at hand. The Bible App has various devotional plans. Fun fact: You can also complete devotionals with friends by sending them an invitation to join you.
Last but not least, attending church. It’s the place where you not only receive God’s word but fellowship with other believers. You will discover other believers who have similar struggles as you or have already gone through them. They can help lift you up in prayer and guide you along your walk with Christ.
My Prayer For You
Over you, I speak this declaration. In the mighty name of Jesus, I cast down any thoughts and feelings that suggest that you are not good enough to be loved by God. I cast down every thought or feeling that says your past has disqualified you from God’s love. I’m here to speak against and break down every notion that you have to earn God’s love. You can rest in the knowledge that his love is a gift that he has freely given to you, and nothing can ever change that fact.
You should therefore return to your Heavenly Father and receive that free gift of his love. It’s patiently waiting to be unwrapped by you. When you unwrap the gift of his love and receive it, remember this.
“God’s unfailing love for us is an objective fact affirmed over and over in the Scriptures. It is true whether we believe it or not. Our doubts do not destroy God’s love, nor does our faith create it. It originates in the very nature of God, who is love, and it flows to us through our union with His beloved Son.” Jerry Bridges
I encourage you to walk in the freedom of the love of the God who not only created you but loved and chose you before he created the world. Know the journey isn’t always easy, even seasoned believers struggle. I’m still in the process of writing my book and discovering more about God’s love, but the journey so far has been nothing short of wonder and freedom. The Lord’s love never wavers and is always with you.