Day 16 | He Speaks, I Respond

 

We, in our humanness, know that we are supposed to love God, and to love those around us and sometimes feel shame for not feeling like we love Him enough, so we try to stir up love for our Father within our hearts.  Yet, we don’t have the strength for this on our own.   

On days I am spent, and worn and I just feel ugly inside and unlovable I attempt to make myself feel like I perceive a good Christian “ought” to feel… joyful, content, loving…but the more I try to make myself feel as I think I should feel, the more frustrated I am with myself for feeling what I am actually feeling. 

Romans 5:5   Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.  

God knows we can’t love on our own.  He has given us Himself, He has poured His love into our very soul!  We can cling to that hope, and not be shamed for our inability to love on our own.  How amazing is that!  He gives us His love so that we can love Him!  And in loving Him, we can love others and even ourselves.  Even when we are worn out, tired or suffering, and we just don’t think we can love, He gives us hope, and He pours out His love into our weak beings. 

He Speaks, I Respond

 You are beautiful….

But do You see what I do?

 

 You are my child…

But my heart is cold, and I am not worthy.

 

Come, let Me cover you with my blanket of grace…

I am so weak.

 

Rest your head against my scarred ribcage…

I crawl to You, and collapse in Your arms.

 

I love you, my dear one.

In wonder, I accept Your love.

Father, It amazes me that You created us to need You to even be able to love You.  Without You, we have no hope, we have no love.  Help us to let go of trying to love You on our own, it is not how you designed us.  May we let go of trying to love and to attempt to feel a certain way that we think we ought to feel.  Instead may we completely open up our souls to you, and open our hearts for You to pour into us.  In You we can love, love You, love others, love ourselves.  Amazing God.  In Jesus, Amen.

-Sue Parrott