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From time to time in my spiritual journey I am afflicted with doubt concerning God’s love for me. I don’t think I’m the only one and so I decided to write a little exhortation to others who may also have similar struggles.
Every once in a while, especially when I get sick of my sinful self, I wonder. I wonder how a perfect, pure, beautiful, holy, untouchable God can stand to even be in the same room as me; a woman unworthy of his attention, his grace, and mercy. I figure if I’m sick of myself surely God must be sick of me and my parochial musings.
It’s times like these when I can tell I have forgotten to preach Jesus to myself. I see it in my pity-party, I see it in my discouragement, I see it in my turning inward upon myself—the evidences of not enough private time with Jesus.
Scripture is filled with evidences of God’s goodness and mercy toward his people, toward us:
Fear not, O Zion;
let not your hands grow weak.
The Lord your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.Zephaniah 3:16–17
If you have times of doubting God’s love for you I’m not going to tell you to “stop it and think about all the things you should be grateful for.” No… I understand. But although I understand, I also want to exhort. We are Christian women, we have a sisterly duty to encourage each other to look up at Jesus; spend time meditating on Scriptures which specifically speak of his loving-kindness, compassion, and steadfastness. Rehearsing the message of the gospel in my mind, sometimes even saying it out loud to myself brings Christ and his cross work into focus. This is what the Holy Spirit uses time and again on my heart. May the Spirit minister to you in the moments you are insecure of Jesus’ love for you.
I love your willingness to be open about these struggles! They so often mirror my own. Thank you for these words and your faithful use of scripture. It is fashionable (and often appropriate) to decry social media, technology, etc, as potential hindrances to our Christian walk, but you and many other ladies bless and help me every day through these tools. Prayers for continued fruitfulness in your writing and teaching.
Monica, bless you for such a sweet note of encouragement. Praise be to God that he grows us through any and all methods he has ordained.
I was just speaking of this very thing today with two friends. Meditating on the fact that if we are “in Christ” God looks at us and sees His beloved Son – spotless, beloved, righteous. We are clothed in His righteousness, joint-heirs with Him. Our sins have been forgiven through His blood and there is nothing we need to do (or indeed are able to do) that can cause Him to love us more or less than His own beloved! It doesn’t get much better than that.
Violet, thank you for writing these things for the comfort of us all. Blessings!
I just found your blog last week and I have looked at it every day since then. I want to applaud the work of God in your life because it is so clear. I am grateful for the words God gives you to write because it is a challenge for all of us to look to HIM, not to ourselves to do better, be better women, or change….just to submit to God and be awed by Him. Thank you for doing this and be encouraged that it is making a difference. I am a pastors wife in Georgia and I have already shared many of your posts with friends. Thank you!
Charity, thank you. This encouragement comes from the Lord, every day the Spirit testifies to press on in faithfulness and leave the rest to him. That is what I want to do, be faithful to his calling. It is all from HIM and to HIM. Blessed be his name for how he plucks our feet out of the net and rejoices over us. Bless you for this.
Good to have you here at Gospel Grace, don’t hesitate to join the conversation.