Live in Freedom
When we go through something that is painful and not changing, it's easy for the enemy to whisper the thought that God loves us according to our performance. When our child is off course, or we're facing a financial setback, or our marriage is in trouble, we're prone to think that it's because we've done something wrong or that we've just not been good enough. Too often we think, "God, why me? What have I done to deserve all these negative things?" We're viewing the difficulties in our life as a reflection of the way God loves us. We're saying, "God, when I do right, You love me. When I miss the mark, You get mad at me."
But that is not true. Actually, that couldn't be further from the truth. The Scripture says God loves us unconditionally: "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" (1 John 3:1). If you're basing God's love on your actions or by your results, that's conditional. But God so loved the world that He gave His only Son for us unconditionally. You can't work for God's love; you can only believe and receive it.
I'm so grateful today that God loves us just the way we are. He doesn't wait until we're perfect to call us, until we get ourselves looking good enough, until we somehow measure up to what we think we should be in His sight. God calls each of us just the way we are right at this moment. He calls us from a divine place of unconditional love and commitment to us. We have to build our lives and live our lives on this foundation of God's love, approval, and forgiveness all that God freely provided for us on the cross through Jesus Christ. He accepted us, He forgave us, and He approved us.
The good news is, you can live in this freedom today. You can get up in the morning and truly say, "God, I'm not going to condemn myself because I know that You're not condemning me. I believe that You love me with an everlasting love. I'm going to go out and be my very best today, honoring You, knowing that I'm not perfect but You are. I believe that there's nothing You can't do through me." When you live your life like that, you'll be steady, you'll be strong, and you'll live an abundant, flourishing life. You'll not only live in freedom, but you'll have so much love in your life that you'll begin to give it away.
But that is not true. Actually, that couldn't be further from the truth. The Scripture says God loves us unconditionally: "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" (1 John 3:1). If you're basing God's love on your actions or by your results, that's conditional. But God so loved the world that He gave His only Son for us unconditionally. You can't work for God's love; you can only believe and receive it.
I'm so grateful today that God loves us just the way we are. He doesn't wait until we're perfect to call us, until we get ourselves looking good enough, until we somehow measure up to what we think we should be in His sight. God calls each of us just the way we are right at this moment. He calls us from a divine place of unconditional love and commitment to us. We have to build our lives and live our lives on this foundation of God's love, approval, and forgiveness all that God freely provided for us on the cross through Jesus Christ. He accepted us, He forgave us, and He approved us.
The good news is, you can live in this freedom today. You can get up in the morning and truly say, "God, I'm not going to condemn myself because I know that You're not condemning me. I believe that You love me with an everlasting love. I'm going to go out and be my very best today, honoring You, knowing that I'm not perfect but You are. I believe that there's nothing You can't do through me." When you live your life like that, you'll be steady, you'll be strong, and you'll live an abundant, flourishing life. You'll not only live in freedom, but you'll have so much love in your life that you'll begin to give it away.