Maneuvers - No. 68
The Truth
About You
Truth is an interesting thing, isn’t it, friend?
We can either accept it or reject it, but we can’t just decide it doesn’t exist. Or that it somehow isn’t true anymore.
We can perhaps change circumstances and outcomes–but we can’t change truth. It simply is.
And that’s what makes God’s Word so amazing. It doesn’t change based on how we feel or what we think. It’s still completely and absolutely true.
So when God tells us that he loves us, we have a choice: accept it or reject it.
But we can’t change it.
Just because we struggle to see the tangible ways God loves us doesn’t make it any less true or his love any less real.
So what needs to change? If we’re being completely honest with ourselves… maybe it’s us. Our perspective, our old ways of thinking, our tendency to interpret silence as rejection or confuse God saying “no” with “I don’t love you.”
And the good news is, we don’t have to change those things on our own. Our kind, compassionate Father can help us, and he is so very willing to do so.
Friend, if we’ve been struggling to believe the truth of God’s love for us, let’s allow Holy Spirit to realign our hearts so we can recognize his affection. So come, join us in listening to what he has to say this week…
01.
The Message
“I am affectionate towards you. I am not harsh. I want to bless you with my favor, with my attention, with my ideas and wisdom, I want to pour into you what is lasting: hope and peace, a deep knowing of your identity.
“You need not worry. All the troubles you face are ones I see. And what you face you can withstand. In what are you putting your trust now? On what are you choosing to stand? Do not rely upon your accomplishments, your achievements, your pace in a day to give you what is lasting. These things will not calm your heart and settle your anxious thoughts. You cannot achieve peace. You are given it. It is a gift you accept and receive–or a gift you ignore or reject. And in the choice–to accept or reject peace, you accept or reject me.
“You don’t want to miss what I have to give you. You don’t want to miss love pouring into your heart. This love fuels everything good–all that is good for you to know and experience and live. Settle in now–settle into the truth that you are dearly loved. Let my affection for you fuel you. Let it color everything you see and hear and touch. I am with you. I am your biggest advocate, your most solid advisor, your most reliable source of wisdom and love. I am the beginning of love.
“Each challenge you face now is an opportunity to see my love work in you, for you, through you. Expect my love, my affection for you, to change how you approach an idea, a relationship, a decision. Expect my presence with you to change your heart.
“Relax now. Be gentle with yourself. Be kind. Let my love cover all the raw places within you, all the insecurities, all the doubts. Let my affection be a covering you wear each moment, all day. Let it cover you when you rise. Let it cover you when you lay your head down to sleep. I am with you always. I love and will never leave you. You are breathtaking to me–the one I want, the one my love runs after and yearns for and chooses, again and again and again.”
02.
Listen
Breathe in for a count of four… and now breathe out for four. Let’s do that a few more times, focusing with each breath on what stood out to you most in today’s message. Now, let’s pull out a journal and write out our response to the Lord.
03.
Think
“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love” (John 15:9, ESV).
1. Where do you struggle with being harsh with yourself? Where do you feel you deserve harsh treatment (whether from God, others, or yourself)?
2. Think of a time when you felt completely loved and held by God. Describe that moment in your journal. What made it easy to feel loved in that moment?
3. In what ways is it difficult for you to experience God’s love right now? What makes it seem far away and intangible at times?
04.
Trust
It can be hard sometimes to recognize God’s love for us, friend. Especially when we’re going through challenges.
But that doesn’t mean his love has stopped. Or even that he’s stopped expressing it. After all, “the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases” (Lamentations 3:22a, ESV).
It’s just harder to recognize it sometimes.
So this week, let’s practice recognizing God’s love for us even in the midst of challenges and troubles.
For the next few days, let’s write down every single way God tangibly shows us his love throughout the day. We can either write it down in our journals right after it happens, or we can wait until the end of the day and write down everything we can remember.
During this exercise, let’s remind ourselves that there are many different ways God can express his love to us–and it’s easy to overlook them.
For example, a beautiful sunset, a sweet note from our spouse, an encouraging conversation with a friend, an unexpected opportunity to share the gospel with someone, a comforting Scripture that comes to mind during a frustrating moment… these are all expressions of God’s love. (And there are so many more…)
At the end of each day, let’s look over our list and thank God for each demonstration of his love. Let’s tell him what it means to us and how it made us feel about him in return.
Let’s pray…
05.
Pray
Father, I confess that I struggle to believe your love for me sometimes, especially on the hard days. I confess that I struggle with thinking challenges mean you’ve forgotten about me or are upset with me.
Open my eyes this week to see you and your love in a deeper way. Teach me how to surrender and accept your love, peace, and truth. Show me how to dream with you and follow you into the next adventure… and the next… and the next.
Thank you that your love never changes. I love you, Lord. I love you so much.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Waving the banner with you,
