We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in His love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face Him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. 18 Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 1 John 4:16-18 NLT
I think God is teaching me that I don’t have to be perfect and do everything right to be right with Him. This is a hard lesson for me. I’m a perfectionist, so I have a hard time understanding how God can possibly love me and want to bless me, even when I don’t do all the things I know I should.
I get behind in my tithing, and though I know, He still loves me, I feel that I can’t be blessed because of this. I also think that when I’m not on track with my eating that I prevent myself from being blessed. But I think God is showing me that He can still bless me even when I’m in those states of imperfection. It’s the devil that uses these shortcomings of mine to condemn me and make me feel unworthy. I think God is trying to show me that it’s my relationship with Him that’s the important thing, not what I’m doing or not doing in the world. The more I grow my relationship with Him, the better I’ll understand His love for me and the clearer it will become that I don’t have to work to get His love. He loves me just the way I am; I don’t ever need to feel afraid, inadequate, or unworthy.
Lord, help me learn this new lesson, open my mind to understand the depth of your love for me, no matter what I struggle with or can or can’t do. Amen
