Love Really Does Win

I haven't been blogging much, because I've been sitting around feeling sorry for myself. I wonder if anyone else ever does that. I honestly don't think it is depression, but just the human tendency toward selfishness rearing her ugly head. Sometimes I forget who I am- a beloved child of God and I forget that I am the daily recipient of God's patience, kindness, forgiveness, and love. I forget my need of grace and I forget to live in a state of worship to my God. My eyes fall from my Savior to my poor, pitiful self and I begin to say, "what about me, it isn't fair, I've had enough! now I want my share..."

Goodness sakes alive, what about me!? Why would God spend one iota of time loving me? That is a mystery, but oh how he does dote on me. It isn't fair. No it isn't. It isn't fair that God sent his Son to die for me, that my identity would be in Christ forevermore. Nope. I did not deserve such a gift of forgiveness. I've had enough...enough of what? Enough of shopping for my identity, meaning and purpose in the empty things of this world- looking everywhere, but Up. Yes, I've had enough of that to last a thousand lifetimes. I want my share and guess what? My God gives me more than my share!

My God's grace is unending. It covers me completely and forever. And oh what desperate need I have of it! My God's love is bigger than the ocean and the heavens and the whole universe and all that love- he gives it all to me. What did I do to deserve that? Not a thing.

I.T. and I have been focusing on shaping our lives around the worship of God. I don't mean we prance around the house singing hymns and crying out prayers to the Lord. No. We are focusing on living more aware of God's power, wisdom, holiness, faithfulness, and love. Living in the light of God's glory gives us a more accurate sense of who we are. And that more accurate sense of who we are is leading us to affirm how desperate our need of grace really is. This accurate view of who God is and who we are is spilling over into the way we view our life. Our individual lives and our life together. It is causing us to see more and more clearly that all the good things in our life are the many evidences that God has been with us and is with us blessing us with his grace.

Author, Paul David Tripp, explains this idea so well in his book, What Did You Expect, that I.T. and I have been reading and re-reading for months now. But I know the book is merely a tool that God placed in our hands at just the right time- right about the time I cried out to God, "Help me!", in fact. How thoughtful of God. He must have had plenty of other, more pressing things to do at that moment, don't cha think?

Today I have new spring in my step. Partly from the encouragement I have received from friends and family and blog pals, who listen and read and say, "hang in there" and such. But mostly I am springing along today,  because I am truly full of joy. I'm full of joy deep down in my heart- it's the joy of knowing Jesus, the Savior of the world and more- it's the joy from knowing that that Savior- loves, loves, loves me!

To look at yourself in the light of God's glory is to be truly aware of your need of his grace, which causes you to extend that grace to another. Tripp says in his book, "People who love best are those deeply appreciative of the way they have been loved." Consider how the Father above loves you beyond measure. This is how it is that Love Wins.

Merry Christmas Everybody!