“Do you believe I love you?”
This is the question God has been asking me during the current season of struggle I’ve been experiencing for the past several years. It’s been a difficult yet transformative journey, for—by His grace—God has been leading me into a much deeper relationship with Himself. And He has done so by continually asking me this question.
“Do you believe I love you?”
Of course! You are my omni-everything Father, exuding your unfailing love for your children!
“Yes, Kurt, you answered correctly. But do you believe that I love you?”
I have always known cognitively that God loves me, but I really have not had a healthy understanding of, or moment-by-moment confidence in, the depth and quality of relationship that He offers me.
As God persisted in asking me this question, I began to see that I loved the things I was doing more than I loved the One I was doing them for. It wasn’t that I didn’t love the Lord, but it was hard to feel that love as much as I could feel the love of being a leader, a pastor, a counselor. Or even the love of being a husband, father, grandfather. I repented.
Yes, Father, I believe that you love me.
“I know you do, Son. Now, do you trust me?”
With this question, God began to strip away from me all of the roles or titles or identities apart from the one that mattered most: true child of God, infinitely loved by his Heavenly Father. He doesn’t need me to earn His love, or exhaust myself through service and obedience. This is the place where I began to experience freedom: the freedom to believe in His love, and abide in deeper trust.
From this combination of love and trust emerged something new: joy. I’ve known great happiness in my life, but this was different. It wasn’t a result of my circumstances or my accomplishments; it was an unexpected outcome of the synergy between love and trust. Even in the midst of a season of struggle, I discovered joy.
“Do you believe I love you?”
Yes! I believe You are who you say you are! I am learning this in fresher, deeper ways! Thank you for revealing Yourself to me!
“Do you believe I love you?”
Yes! I depend on Your words to be true and life-giving for me every day! I am taking the time to hear your I-love-you words as well as the do-this-stuff words!
“Do you believe I love you?”
Yes! I see afresh what You have accomplished in Jesus, through His life and death and resurrection! And I see You each day in Your many kindnesses to me!
Do you believe He loves you?
Recent Comments