A Refreshing And Honest Look into Life's Toughest Questions

Jesus said, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash” (NIV, Matthew 7:24-27).

Sometimes it can be easy to start doubting whether or not God loves me. Yet here is an encouraging thought to consider. Jesus once said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (NIV, Matthew 10:29-31).

Lately, I am learning through God’s unconditional love that the things I desire to be perfect can become an aimless ambition. Everything from the imperfections within my heart, life circumstances and even the world around me becomes overwhelming when I consider the amount of change that needs to take place. Instead of resting in His grace knowing that He is in control, I tend to grip on even harder and try to control the outcome with everything I have.

I wonder what life would be like if I truly chose to surrender to God. It’s one of those words that seems intimidating for a type “A”, choleric, seemingly independent person such as myself. Truthfully, I believe we’re raised in a society that teaches us that raising the white flag, giving in, and submitting to the will of another is a sign of weakness. And it’s when we take this worldly mindset and apply it to the spiritual realm that we encounter our greatest tragedy.

By guest writer, A.H.—I recently had a good friend ask me for scientific proof of the existence of Heaven. He explained that he was dissatisfied with the answers he had received from other influences in his life, most of which ended in something like “You must simply believe.”

It is Finished!

Jesus carried it all. His cross signified not only the physical weight He was called to bear but also the burden of my own sin, shortcomings, fears and failures. Yet, I still insist on carrying my own cross many times.

“The people who hanged Christ never, to do them justice, accused Him of being a bore; on the contrary, they thought Him too dynamic to be safe. It has been left for later generations to muffle up that shattering personality and surround Him with an atmosphere of tedium. We have very efficiently pared the claws of the Lion of Judah, certified Him “meek and mild,” and recommended Him as a fitting household pet for pale curates and pious old ladies” (Dorothy Sayers, “Creed or Chaos”).

What does Jesus’ crucifixion mean to you? Have you ever fully considered the implications of the cross? I personally can minimize what He chose to endure in my place. It’s hard to wrap my mind around it all, so I quickly shut down. The punishment that I justly deserved; instead, the wrath of God was poured out on the One who knew no sin.

Over time I become somewhat calloused and numb to this, just like any other familiar story. It’s easy to acknowledge this moment in history while still bypassing the real mission behind it all. How quickly I forget the sacrifice He made for me. Thankfully, His crucifixion was not haphazard. Jesus knew our desperate need. Watch this video for a shocking indicator of just how deep God’s love really goes…

God’s love and grace is big… overwhelmingly big. We can try to intellectualize and understand it from our limited human vantage points or learn to be immersed in it. Release control and rest in this truth instead of wondering does God love me? His unconditional love is available to anyone without a cost–even to a criminal on a cross.

This love cannot be earned or bought. God does not offer His love to only a chosen few or to a socially elite group. Instead, He is always reaching out to the lost, broken, lame, sick, thirsty, and humble. And just when we start to think that there is something we can do on our own to receive this grace, Christ quickly shatters our religious paradigms.

That’s right, I’m not referring to your brother, neighbor, or even the pizza shop owner down the street named Peter. The one we sometimes amusingly portray as standing at the pearly whites, one of Jesus’ 12 apostles, and even the very person who Jesus requested to join him during two of His most intimate experiences (Mark 14:32-34) in the garden and at the time of His transfiguration (Luke 9:28-31) asked the question, “Does God love me?”

I must confess, I have been very anxious and stressed out lately. It’s really easy to fall victim to this. For me, it is more an issue of control than anything. My mind gets burdened with thoughts and worries about work, family, God, ministry, missions, health, finances, and more. It is a constant surrender. Who really is in control, God or me?

I was having a great conversation today with my father regarding the scripture when Jesus is sitting at the well speaking with a Samaritan woman (For more details read: John 4:1-42). This is by far one of my favorite stories about Jesus and His overall mission while on Earth. I am always rocked by how intentionally Jesus crossed social boundaries as well as challenged the conventional thinking of His day in order to express that God loves you and has compassion on the lost.

Please take the time to watch. This is a beautiful reminder of what we ought to do for our fellow brothers and sisters during times of great loss. Does God love me? Where is He in all of this? These may be some of the very questions that many of there people are asking themselves right now.

A lot of speculation can arise around why something like this would happen and what role God may play in it all. We cannot begin to understand the scope of everything from merely our own human perspective, but one thing that we can be sure of is that God still deeply loves each and every person. He weeps with them. God longs for their return to Him. Our Lord entrusts this message of love to us, His body.

I must confess that there are a lot of good reasons why people may ask themselves the question, “Does God love me?” Last night I was listening to a very controversial message regarding the love of God, heaven and hell, and the reasoning behind why a lot of people suffer or reject the message of Christianity altogether. Many of us may have been brought up in Sunday school and/or an Orthodox Church atmosphere where we learned a lot about the justice and judgment of God, but not so much about His unconditional love.

I have heard people say that “God doesn’t love me or can’t accept me because I have committed so many sins in the past. I am a complete screw up. I’m destined for hell.” I absolutely despise hearing this, because it is a lie straight from the deceiver himself.

There is no reason that any of us need to feel this way. We are all just as guilty as the next. If you hear otherwise, you ought to start listening to a different messenger, because without grace we have nothing.