My frustrations of wanting to just get away from everyone and everything because of feeling unappreciated or unheard have often led to me feeling unloved. Have you ever felt like this? You know the old friend grudge that keeps all the history of everyone I had ever felt wronged you? This of course is one common example of some of the stinkin thinking. So how could God ever love someone like me when the people in my life I feel can’t love me the way I need?
I have struggled many days in loving myself, family, and friends the way I should. How can I pour from this empty cup? Am I the only person who has felt like this? As crazy as it sounds, I have learned to confess and recognize my problematic ways of thinking specifically with doubt and disbelief. I have learned that when I am open with God and real with myself, this is when I am most authentic and humble enough to hear from Him. At times, it is with the smallest amount of FAITH that I experience God’s love and know he sees me, and feel just how much He cares about the things that concern me.
I remember as a teen, I went with my mother to visit the sick and shut in. A gentleman stated that I was the apple of God’s eye. At the time, I didn’t realize it was scripture and I didn’t know why he was saying that to me but I never forgot what he said. That wasn’t the first time God expressed his love for me. Over the years, he has provided not only tangible resources to myself and my family, He has also provided peace and perspective during difficult seasons in my life. Let me tell you something, the word of God is a great place to begin to investigate how God loves and how both you and I should express love to Him. The word of God instructs us that the Holy Spirit is the antidote to how we can go from being unlovable to lovable. The Word explains, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” (Galatians 5:22-23). With the assistance of the Holy Spirit, we are able to renew our minds daily and transform our thought process ultimately leading to a change in how we love. How we love ourselves, how we love one another, how we love God. Although I am a work in progress, being mindful of how the Holy Spirit is operating within me has assisted this formerly unlovable woman into a person who allows God to love on her so that she can pour that love onto herself and others.
Question of The Day?
Will you trust God enough to let Him love on you?
encouragement4everdayliving 