I'm sure we are all familiar with the saying, "To know me is to love me", but quite honestly, do most of us actually believe that to be true? I think more often than not, we feel if we were truly known, no-one would love us. Many feel there is nothing in them that is worthy of another's love. If you only saw what I did. If you only heard the thoughts in my head? If you only knew the bent of my heart.
It is possible we have been hurt in the past by others who have been fair-weather friends. Loved today and forgotten tomorrow. Maybe we have been reminded repeatedly of our failures. Others have longed for love, tasted it for a season and then discovered in time that love has waned and they are searching for that elusive emotion again. Insecurity may make us doubt lasting love. We sometimes believe that if we only do the right thing, act a certain way, the result will be acceptance and love. Some are even skeptic of sincere love. I actually had a friend years ago whose mother used to tell her the only reason my sister and I befriended her was because we wanted something from her, as no one who knew her could really love her. Disbelief and doubt can put us on the defensive. With trust lacking, incredulity dictates responses to any overtures of kindness.
Sadly, there are those in this world that continue to feel unwanted and like they don't belong. They sense more the whispers of others as they live on the island of misfits than the embrace and welcome they long to receive. Misfit. Not fitting in. Being tolerated at best. The hope of approval and love seems so foreign.
We can struggle so deeply to believe that others can love us exactly as we are. We can feel vulnerable and exposed as we long for the security of something certain...someone certain. The confidence that others emulate has evaded us. We just don't think we are loveable, although we long to be.
Our hearts need the reminder of God's unfailing love. His love will never disappoint or disappear. It is a tenacious love, clinging and holding persistently. It is a love from God. It is God.
Years ago, Christian recording artist Evie Tornquist-Karlsson sang a song entitled, "Unfailing Love". It is about the endless, eternal love that God has for His children. When we finally and fully embrace the truth of these lyrics, we will stop searching for love in all the wrong places. Our hearts will be more than sufficiently suffonsified.
"Unfailing love flows from His heart and heals my soul,
In spite of who I am, He loves and makes me whole.
I almost can't believe it's true,
Unfailing love and yet I know
He gave His life to give to me, unfailing love."
In an act of supreme love, God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8). I heard it said once that whenever we tell the Lord that we love Him, it will always be in response to His declaration of love over us first. He is always the initiator. Always. In reality we should be saying, "I love You too". It is His love every time that prompts ours in return, and God's love will never fail.
How will you respond to God's unfailing love today?
"Unfailing Love", written by Pelle Karlsson; Word Music; 1981
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