Maneuvers - No. 50
Ground Yourself
in My Love
Have you ever watched a tree grow, friend?
At first, it’s just a small, vulnerable seed deep in the dirt. Then, that little seed breaks open, and new roots reach out to latch onto the surrounding soil.
Little by little, even more roots appear. They’re constantly reaching deeper and wider, giving the sapling the foundation it needs to grow. And eventually, that tiny shoot becomes a towering oak.
But let’s think about it for a moment… If that seed wasn’t buried deeply enough, what would happen to it? The roots couldn’t latch onto the soil–and the new growth would quickly dry up or topple over.
Like young trees, we desperately need roots, don’t we? But instead of latching onto dirt and rocks, our hearts must sink deeper into our heavenly Father’s love.
The more grounded we are in his love for us, the more we heal and grow and experience joy.
But how do we do that in a world that’s constantly telling us we’re not enough? Is it even possible?
In this week’s message, Holy Spirit’s answer is a resounding “yes.” Our heavenly Father doesn’t just want to tell us how much he loves us. He wants to show us how to enjoy that love.
So come, let’s set aside the pressures and burdens of this world so we can dig our spiritual roots a little deeper today.
01.
The Message
“You have heard me tell you that you are my delight. Sometimes you hear me. Sometimes you don’t. But listen now: You are enough. You are all that I want you to be. There is a picture that you can’t see yet, but I want to help you see it–the vision of your life from my perspective. All the ways you captivate me. All the things you do that make me smile.
“I love being with you. I love dreaming with you. Do not fear about doing the next step correctly or not, worrying about messing up. For those fears are from the world. There is nothing you can do that will change how I feel about you. There is not one thing you need to prove.
“I know it hurts, the way you feel alone. You feel this way when you feel like you need to prove–to whomever will notice–that you are worth being here. Like you need to do certain things, by the world’s standards, in order to have your life be justified.
“Who is to say, but me, what a life is worth? How can you even measure it? How can you be the one to decide what a path holds? Hear me: please care less about the path than about whether or not you trust in me.
“I love you. My love is for you. My love is the sword you wield when things are hard, when the world threatens to rob you of peace and joy and hope. None of these things can be taken away from you. For I give these gifts. And no one can take away the gifts I give you, although the gifts can be silenced, or hidden, or forgotten, or put away so you don’t experience them anymore. But what I give you is timeless. You can count on my gifts to give you what you need. And, more than anything else, child, you need me. I am the one who settles you deeper in my love.
“Surrender what is not good for your heart to receive the love that makes you filled with a deep confidence, a trust, a peace in knowing who you are. Ground yourself in my love. Ground yourself in what is true. Ask me to help you silence the noise of comparison and competition and striving and fear. You have nothing to prove. You have nothing to do but let me love you. Everything else worth doing comes far, far second to that.
“I have much we get to do together. Remember, you need not do one thing alone. I am available. I am here. I am the rock on which you can stand. I am the ideas and inspiration and power that last. Let me love you. Let me help you love me. On this foundation you will live a life of contentment and joy. Come, come, come to me.”
02.
Listen
Did Holy Spirit’s words feel personal to you today? If not, read through this week’s message one more time and imagine Jesus looking you in the eye as he speaks to you.
Now, let’s respond to the Lord in our journals. Let’s be honest about what we’re feeling while staying soft and open to his response.
03.
Think
“And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts, living within you as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love” (Ephesians 3:17, TLB).
1. What parts of Holy Spirit’s message today did you find hard to believe and why?
2. How grounded are you in God’s love for you? What makes it hard for you to fully enjoy that love?
3. What unhealthy thought patterns or habits in your life is Holy Spirit leading you to surrender? How can this help you receive God’s love more freely and experience more joy and contentment?
04.
Trust
Sometimes we hold back from trusting God’s love because we’re used to others letting us down. After all, even the most trustworthy people in our lives aren’t perfect. We’ve been hurt–and it’s easy to view God’s love in light of that hurt.
So let’s exchange those disappointments for the truth about God’s love. Let’s open our journals or find a piece of paper and a pen. As we read each of the Scriptures below, let’s write down what it shows us about God’s character and the nature of his love for us.
“May you be able to feel and understand, as all God’s children should, how long, how wide, how deep, and how high his love really is; and to experience that love for yourselves, though it is so great that you will never see the end of it or fully know or understand it” (Ephesians 3:18-19, TLB).
“In this act we see what real love is: it is not our love for God but his love for us when he sent his Son to satisfy God’s anger against our sins” (1 John 4:10, TLB).
“For God has said, ‘I will never, never fail you nor forsake you.’ That is why we can say without any doubt or fear, ‘The Lord is my Helper, and I am not afraid of anything that mere man can do to me’” (Hebrews 13:5-6, TLB).
“For you bless the godly man, O Lord; you protect him with your shield of love” (Psalm 5:12, TLB).
“And the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove settled upon [Jesus], and a voice from heaven said, ‘You are my much loved Son, yes, my delight’” (Luke 3:22, TLB).
Part 2 of this exercise is more personal. For this section, let’s write the word “Grounded” at the top of the page and ask God to show us how he wants us to be grounded in his love.
As we listen, let’s breathe deeply, imagining ourselves sinking deeper and deeper into his fatherly compassion. Let’s also write down ways we can daily enjoy that love.
And now, let’s close in prayer.
05.
Pray
Father, thank you for loving me so freely. Despite everything I’ve done, you have been so faithful and protective over me. Thank you that no matter how deep I sink my roots, I could never reach the end of your compassion and mercy.
Come, heavenly Father. Come, Jesus. Come, Holy Spirit. Teach me what it means to be grounded in you. I want to know you more. I want to trust you, see you, hear you, and feel you. Show me how.
I surrender everything that hinders me from clinging to you. Help me surrender fully, not holding bits and pieces back for myself. I’m all yours, Lord. I love you so, so much.
In Jesus’ precious name, amen.
Waving the banner with you,
