Advent & Mental Health: Pt. 3
Does he Love me, or Does he Love me NOT?
When I was researching for my book What if We Pray, I did a deep dive into the character of God. I was curious about the character of the person I was developing a relationship with through prayer. Come to find out - he was more incredible than I first thought because instead of letting the Bible and our relationship define who he is for me, I had let my earthly relationships and culture tell me who he was. No relationship on this earth could ever truly reflect the perfect - the only perfect- character of God.
As we take time this season to reflect on the hope of the season, keep in mind that in his perfect love. When we were in desperate need of a savior, he sent his son to die for us - that is love. Here is what I wrote in chapter three of my book, to talk about God’s character of love:
“God is Love”
I want to start with a characteristic that is a cultural favorite right now: “God is love.” This statement is taken from 1 John 4:7-8 (ESV):
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”
Ok, that verse is a great start on its own. After reading that, I would think, “I kinda like this guy.”
What if we take it a step further? What is love? Does scripture define it for us? If you have ever been to a wedding, you have probably heard 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. It says that no matter how awesome or successful or smart or faithful a person is, they are nothing without love. What is love?
‘Love is patient.
Love is Kind.
Love does not envy or boast.
Love is not arrogant or rude.
Love doesn’t keep a record of wrong.
Love is not irritable or resentful.
Love does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love Never Fails.’
You get the idea. But if God is love, then can we exchange the word love for the word God in this passage?
Here is what it would look like:
God is patient.
God is kind.
God does not envy or boast.
God is not arrogant or rude.
God doesn’t keep a record of wrong.
God is not irritable or resentful.
God does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth.
God bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. God never fails.
The scriptural truth of who God is impacts the way I want to talk to Him. If he isn’t irritable, then I can pray relentlessly at any hour of the day and never think I am annoying. If he doesn’t keep a record of wrong, then I know he doesn’t hold my past sins against me or make fun of me but truly forgives me. If he is patient, then he doesn’t roll his eyes when I sin. Like a kind parent whose child is learning to walk, when I stumble, he helps me back up and keeps encouraging me until I can walk on my own. Does looking at God as listed above change the way you view him? Does it change the way you feel you can talk to him?
It does for me! I encourage you to pause here and pray and ask God to reveal any ways you need to see him as he is in this verse.”
Prayer Activity:
God does not “keep a record of wrong” is my favorite thing from this list- not only because it means he forgives me but because I have experienced so much joy and freedom when I have let go of the record of wrong i have kept of others and forgiven others… as well as myself. If God keeps no record of my wrong, then why do I keep one?
Take time today to prayerful ask for help in forgiving anyone you are keeping a record of wrong of and also- to let yourself off the hook.
The hope of this season is joy and peace- find it now in releasing others and yourself from the grudge of their sin. Then take time to pray for your offenders- pray they are gifted this season with hope, peace, love and joy.
