remember that you are loved

It’s been a hot minute since I’ve written over here, so hello again friends! I’m almost halfway through my first year of college and man oh man have I been learning a lot. As a gal who grew up in the public school system, transitioning to a small private Christian school has been a wild ride. Don’t get me wrong, it’s been a fun ride, but I’ve definitely experienced my fair share of ups and downs along the way. One thing I’ve found both fulfilling and challenging in school is the discussion of theology. I have spent much time in college thus far analyzing Scripture, looking for answers to big questions, and trying to comprehend all I can about the character of God. While I do believe it is an incredible blessing to be able to discuss faith in a classroom setting, I have found the process to be a bit overwhelming and confusing at times. Here in this state of perplexity, I have found myself to be in a dangerous temperature of faith: lukewarm. Revelation 3:16 warns us about such a temperature and as followers of Christ we are called to a life of boldness and full confidence in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

 

1 Corinthians 16:13

“Be alert, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong. Do everything in love.”

 

This is the life we are called to live; easier said than done of course. However, as I’ve come to this awareness of the current state of my faith, I’ve found a great amount of peace in embracing child-like faith, remembering that I am immeasurably loved by the almighty God and that there is nothing I could ever do to change the amount of love He has for me. In our humanness, we cannot imagine an unchanging love because we change the amount of love we have for others all the time. When people in our lives hurt us, we are a little bit tainted by their actions, but God isn’t like that. He is so far above the brokenness of our humanity that, through Jesus Christ, God is able to love us without hindrance, without conditions, and without failing. A lie I’ve bought into way too many times is that God gets fed up with my wandering soul and I have to slowly earn back His love. This is far from the truth!!

 

1 Corinthians 1:9

“God is faithful: you were called by Him into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord,”.

 

God created us to be in relationship with Him. We saw this in the garden of Eden and we saw it when Jesus walked the earth and we see it now through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us believers. Here’s the truth we have to cling to: it’s not about us. It’s all about His perfect and limitless love. He is always pursuing us, even when we aren’t pursuing Him and He is always waiting right behind us with open arms of grace. This truth of His perfect love should be enough reason to take our faith from lukewarm to boiling hot. We are loved by the Creator of the universe without reason; just being His child is enough. I’ve been clinging tight to this verse in 1 Corinithians 1 during this season:

 

1 Corinthians 1:27-28

“Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong. God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world – what is viewed as nothing – to bring to nothing what is viewed as something.”

 

I want to encourage you today that though you may feel weak, though you may feel insignificant, or even though you may feel like nothing, God hasn’t stopped seeking after you and His great love hasn’t changed for you. 

 

Look back up at 1 Corinthians 16:13. Let’s let these things be the foundation in which we can rely on in order for our passion and adoration for Christ to be sustained. Let’s be alert: looking for God in everything and asking God to open our eyes to see everything He wants us to see. Let’s stand firm: resting in the arms of our loving father despite the circumstances. Let’s be courageous: knowing that the battle has already been won and we have victory in Jesus Christ. Let’s be strong: trusting that the Lord is our strength and helper in times of trouble. And let’s do everything in love: reflecting the gracious love God lavishes on each and everyone of us.