Accepting love when we feel unworthy
I LOVE love. I LOVE God. I LOVE my family. I LOVE pizza. I LOVE wearing stripes. I LOVE writing. I LOVE chocolate. I LOVE puppies. I LOVE traveling. I love, I love, I love.
See my problem here?
Well maybe not problem, but most definitely a need to define.
Love as a word can greatly vary in meaning. From an expression of passion to the ultimate gift of sacrifice, the word “love” can mean vastly different things. So while love can be a feeling or an expression, I want to focus on another facet of love: love as ACTION.
Love came down for us. Redeemed us. Set us free.
So how do we respond when we don’t feel worth His love? What do we do when we are face to face with our sinful nature and brokenness, His ultimate loving sacrifice, and feel so unable to accept what He has for us?
I found myself in this place too many times, crying out to God saying, “I’ve messed up, how can you love me? Why do you love me?” It’s not a great place to be as I’m sure many of you relate – feeling unworthy and unable to respond to His pursuit of your heart, His small whisper that says, “I forgive you and I love you.”
This wall I kept ramming up against, the “I’m not worth love” one, finally broke when I was face to face with this question –
What determines worth?
In the world, value is determined by the price that’s paid for it. We can assume something is “worth it” because it costs us more…the price that’s paid is directly correlated to it’s worth. Think about it this way: we can safely assume that the $300 North Face jacket will in fact keep you much more protected form the elements than a $10 sweatshirt. You probably wouldn’t go exploring in Alaska in winter wearing a sweatshirt as protection expecting to stay warm. With that truth, think about this:
“If value is determined by the price that’s paid for it then Heaven went bankrupt to get you back… that’s a pretty high price to pay for something that (you say is) worthless. […] There is no unworthy in the world – why would God put His Holy Spirit into something that’s not worth it?” [Todd White]
This brought me to an understanding of my worth to accept His love more than anything ever has. In fact, I had to pause the sermon I was listening to and replay that part a few times – Heaven went bankrupt to get me back? ME? His love did that? Even further, he expressed: “redemption is not just that I am bought with a price, it is God bringing me back to my original value.”
He has given you a gift of salvation. It’s His love that has brought us into a place of freedom and relationship with our Father in Heaven. Most who are reading this have accepted this. If you haven’t there’s never a better time than here and now. Ask Him to forgive you, understand He loves you, and start living with Him right now.
Even for those who have already accepted the gift of salvation, You can always (and continually) accept His love. His wants to pour it out on You. All you have to do is believe and receive. Ask Him to fill you with His presence and love so that you may love more like He does.
We can no longer say we are worthless because the GREATEST PRICE was paid for us. That means you! You out there saying, “…wellll you don’t know how bad I am, what mistakes I’ve made, how unworthy I truly am.” NO! You can’t say it anymore! Never again in fact can you say that you are worthless. Saying you are worthless is believing a lie. The enemy will forever try to deceive us to keep us from God, but right now you have authority to declare that LOVE WINS in your life, not the lies.
And even better, when we accept that love we overflow!
Again, Madison- just what I needed to hear this week. <3 So blessed God speaks to my heart here!
As I read, the gravity of my words sank in- to say that I'm not worthy enough, or good enough, or that God really doesn't want to use me- is really a slap in His face. It's to say, "Listen, I know You thought You wanted me- even paying such an unfathomable price of Your Son- but You were wrong. I know You said You want to redeem me, cleanse me, choose me…but let me tell You how You really feel, because You don't know."
Who. Do. We. Think. We. Are.
I don't want to harbor that attitude- just utter gratitude. A million halleluyahs and even though I may be weighed down by the magnitude of this love- even though I feel so small and not enough in my flesh- it should drive me to countless grateful prayers of "THANK YOU" centered on His Holiness rather than focusing on the inadequacy of myself.
He must increase, I must decrease- my selfish feelings, pity parties, and all.
So thank you for getting out there and speaking this, Madison- sending you big hugs this day! <3
(sorry for the late reply! In the midst of a incredibly drawn-out move and it takes up so much of my time!)
I wanted to add this:
In our moments, or prolonged moments of thinking or feeling we are unworthy, that God is so great in His mercy. He understands that it’s hard to nearly impossible for us to accept His love sometimes. I imagine it must break His heart – how much better off would we be if we all lived and operated out of full revelation of His love for us?
Never should we listen to the voice in our head that says we’re not good enough but it’s so loud sometimes it drowns out everything else.
Keep drawing near to His love, He is so ready to pout it out on you!
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