You are, were, and will be loved

We all want to be seen. We want someone to really "get" who we are, and yet, there is a fear of truly being ourselves. Why are we afraid to simply be ourselves? Because there is an undercurrent of fear that threatens our confidence. That fear has to do with acceptance. We are afraid that if we are truly seen we will not be accepted. When we allow fear to dictate our actions, we withhold from ourselves opportunities to grow in confidence that we are good enough to be loved.

Our entire life is an effort in realizing the truth of being loved.

What if every moment of our existence was an opportunity to be reminded that God loves us? In the good moments, it is easy to believe this, but what if we could see that we were loved even in the bad moments of our life. Bad decisions made by ourselves, bad choices made by others, bad circumstances and bad events beyond our control, are not occasions taking us away from love; rather they are opportunities to see that we were loved. What if life was all about seeing that we are loved by God in this moment, not because of what we do, but because of whose we are?

This message is the truth and this truth will change your life.

When we allow ourselves to be completely loved by God, this will free us to love others without needing them to satisfy any lack within ourselves. The key isn't convincing ourselves that we are worthy of God loving us, as much as it is seeing that He ALREADY DOES love us, independent upon our actions necessitating merit. We can't possibly position ourselves into His favor because God has already moved things in a declarative action that settles the matter once and for all; the cross. The cross is a clarion call to the world that God loves.

Reflecting on God's love, that he expressed for us from the cross, reminds us that He loves our past, our present, and our future. He loves so entirely, that even our failures, faults, what we have done and failed to do are decidedly forgiven and healed by His selflessness in shedding His blood at the cross. We are forgiven and set up for success; fully seen and chosen to go and share that type of love with others.

We can't give what we do not have.

If we don't know that we were and are forgiven than we will pursue consolation in other things, people, events, or activities. When we allow God's merciful love to heal us, we are fully seen, forgiven and free to be His love to those around us. We are now free to heal, see, and even forgive those who do not care about us, because we can give what we have been given. It isn't as if we are asked to give to others something that is based upon our efforts and merit alone as if we have a reservoir of acceptance based on our goodness; rather, we have something to give because God's love not only forgives and sees but it also abundantly fills and overflows. With an abundant love from God towards us, we can go freely to any land and people with a message that is satisfying to the universal need of all; to be seen and loved as we are.

So allow yourself to be loved by God today, because who knows, maybe tomorrow you will meet someone who wants desperately to be seen, but is afraid that they will not be good enough.

Thank God for His merciful and abundant love!