And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. Romans 8:38 (NLT)
There is a song by Matthew West called The God Who Stays. There is a line in it that really spoke to me recently. It says:
Somehow you don’t see me like I do.
WOW! Each of us sees ourselves negatively now and then. In reality, more than we should. We beat ourselves up for things we’ve done in the past, for sins we’ve committed recently and even for things we didn’t do but think we should have done. Thoughts pop into our heads about how we could do better or opportunities we’ve missed.
Don’t get me wrong, there is a place for healthy conviction from the Holy Spirit but the voices from Him, the thoughts in our heads would be just that, healthy.
When the thoughts that pop into your head are damning, when they make you feel like less, like you are not worthwhile and like you are a failure, those are not from the Holy Spirit. When you think you have no value and God cannot use you, those are not from the Holy Spirit. And especially when you think you have to get yourself all straightened out before you come to Jesus. Again, not from the Holy Spirit.
In today’s text we are told that NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING, will get in the way of God loving us. Nothing thinkable or unthinkable. I have done some unthinkable things. Jesus still loves me. And if you’ve done unthinkable things too, Jesus still loves you.
As we head into the New Year, remember this truth. Hold on to it tightly. Fight for it.
You are loved. There is nothing, not one thing no matter how big or small that will cause Jesus not to love you. Lean in and be loved.