Why We Need To Go Back to the Simple Truth

“What is the greatest act of faith? To look in the mirror of God’s word, and see all my faults, all my sin, all my shortcomings, and to believe that God loves me exactly as He says He does”
Paul Washer

Do we ever truly grow tired of hearing the phrase “I love you” or speaking those words from our own lips in adoration? It is not a phrase to utter once, but a sentence to live by.

As humans, we were made to dwell within love itself. Our very purpose is to live a life accepting the love of God, which changes us to our very core. And from that place, we are given eternal love within us, which we can demonstrate to those around us.

Throughout our lives, we will repeatedly show love to others and receive it for ourselves. We will say the words I love you more than once and repeatedly demonstrate it because we need to be reminded of that truth as humans. It provides nourishment for all of our hearts.

Since love is not something we ever grow weary of hearing or seeing it expressed. So why do many of us go through life without meditating on how dearly loved we are? How radically different would our lives be if we truly thought about how dearly loved we were? By God. By our family. By our friends. By our spouse.

As we need to be surrounded by love and meditate on its truth within our human relationships, we need to be reminded of God’s love daily. There will always be a desperate need to go back to the simplicity of God’s love. In the same way, as we need to be reminded of our spouse’s love from time to time, we must live in meditation of the greatest love there is, the love of Christ. The truth of His love is necessary to dwell on because it is the anchor through every season of life. The truth brings authentic freedom and changes the lives of those who encounter it.

In seasons where life is going very well, there is a need to be reminded of His love so that pride does not take root. Likewise, in seasons where I am burdened by the heaviness of my heart, there is a clear need to be reminded of whose hand I’m in. Here are a few major points which stood out to me personally as I read Romans 8:34-39 and hopefully encourage you to meditate on the strength of His love.

In His Love, there is Security

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?”- Romans 8:35

How do you define security? Security is not the absence of trouble but rather the assurance that the unchangeable One is holding you. What a beautiful reminder to the heart that is restless. In both the highs and the lows, we are secure because our salvation depends on the finished work of Christ. We are never given the right to walk around defeated because we are declared conquerors by the one who, by His grace, has granted us victory.

Never once are we promised to be free from hardships this side of heaven. God is honest. He states that though there will be trials, He has overcome the world (John 16:33). Believers are not left to their own devices but rather are promised the Holy Spirit (John 14:18).

In His Love, there is Freedom

“Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” -Romans 8:34

In His love, there is freedom from the weight we have been carrying. There is no condemnation. None. We are not left to our own devices, and we do not have to keep carrying the weight of our sins alone. Christ is the one who intercedes for us.

That being said, this does not minimize the role of being convicted. The love of God is not to be mistaken for a ticket to do what we please (Gal. 5:13). We are commanded repeatedly to walk in obedience, as this is the sign of a believer (John 14:15).

There is great value in discipline, which is a gift from God. Hebrews 12:11 states:

“For the moment, all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

Discipline is a gift that comes from the heart of love. Being convicted brings you closer to God; feeling condemned seeks to separate you. If you are being convicted, that means He is treating you as a beloved child: He is calling you back to Him. It would be far more frightening if He stopped correcting. 

In His Love, there is always Hope

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord”. -Romans 8:38-39

Through His love, there is always hope. We may be discouraged at times, but our hope is never diminished by our inability to see it.

The love of God is steadfast, and His faithfulness is more concrete than whatever you are facing right now.

Maybe you’re in the middle of a battle that has been raging for so long. Maybe you’re struggling to trust in God when the frailty of life has hit you. Or maybe everything is going great around you, but there is an aching in your heart reminding you that there is something more.

God sees you. He has not changed. You are loved. He is good. There is hope, one that has never diminished by the realities of life, one that will continue to stand firm throughout every circumstance. Your living hope is Christ, and His arms are open wide.

If you have wandered, you can come back. If your heart is divided, seek after His. If your soul is weary, learn what it means to rest in Him. If your heart is full of sorrow, cry out to Him and open your heart to His comfort.

The Lord of the universe knew what it was to suffer. He bore our sorrows and can identify with weakness (Heb 4:15), though He is the one who created the heavens. No one can hold your heart better than the one who made it. Fall in love with Him again. Get back to God, who has not changed. Remember who He is, where He has brought you, and find rest for your soul.

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Through His love, we can rest in the security that stands firm, a freedom that does not fade, and a hope that does not diminish. May we be encouraged by this simple truth.

How has your life been impacted by His love?

Blessings,