A Love that Shines thru the Darkest Circumstance

Bible readings... 
“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
“We love because he first loved us.” I John 4:19
“You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.” Psalm 86:5
“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” Zephaniah 3:17
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
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Hello everyone…and a big welcome today to Sunday Inspiration…through the Risen Hope Ministries! I am so glad to have you with me today…and I pray that this God inspired writing will truly become a reminder, as to how much Jesus truly loves you!
 
You know…isn’t it amazing, as to how a circumstance can seem like a dense fog…something that tries to separate us from the love of Jesus and even convince us that He is no longer there. I have come to see how these difficult moments not only make us feel distant from Jesus’ love…but also, as to how easily we can find ourselves forgetting that He even loves us at all.
 
As I look back to the most difficult times of my life; I remember moments, when the circumstances I was facing at the time, actually made me feel like a piece of nothing. The pain from many surgeries…and the counseling that was taking place at the time...to mend a broken heart that was completely shattered, had definitely brought me down to nothing.
 
One thing I could never come to grips with; for the longest time was this…how Jesus could love someone like me. Never did I realize it at the time; but it wasn’t me that was feeling that way; but rather, it was all these circumstances that were making me feel like this. The shame and brokenness, due to sexual abuse and a dysfunctional home life had pretty much made me feel like a worthless piece of junk. In fact…I felt so low at the time; that I would say to my husband…if I die, just bury me in a trash can…because that is all I felt at the time.
 
As I rethink these thoughts of the past, I now see that I couldn’t expect Jesus to love me because I didn’t even love myself. In fact, I was so focused on how bad of a person I seemed to be at the time; that I began to believe that Jesus felt the same way too.
 
Later…as I started to work with Jesus on every problem that needed to be fixed; He led me to a Bible verse in I Samuel 16:7, which reads… “But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” After reading this verse, I came to see that the Lord wasn’t interested in my outward appearance…or even the appearance of what I was seeing deep within myself; but rather, He was interested in my heart…something that I hadn’t felt close to in a long time.
 
Isn’t it amazing, as to how we as humans become so caught up in the outward appearance of ourselves…or even as to how our circumstances are making us feel at the time? One thing that Jesus has truly taught me; is that when we become too tightly focused on these ways of thinking; then we soon find that these thoughts not only manipulate the heart; but we also find ourselves bypassing the heart and the perfect love that resides within us. In other words…we become more in tune with what is happening, rather than the One who longs to love us through what’s happening.
 
Once I began to see clearly, as to what direction I had been heading in for so many years of my life; I began to turn around and quit following the path of deceptive thinking…and instead, I began to listen to the One, who could counsel my heart and lead me in the right direction.
 
Today, I would like to say with all my heart that Jesus truly loves you! I know this because I came from a place where I felt that no one could ever love me…not even Jesus…and now as I walk a new path…one that is taking me in the right direction this time; I am truly experiencing One who shows a deep and lasting love, through the loving ways He works within me.
 
If you are headed in a direction that is only led by the way your circumstances are attempting to lead you…a direction that makes you feel unloved and all alone; then ask Jesus to help you get on the right path and turn away from the deceptive thoughts that are controlling your heart. One thing I know… the moment that you choose to let go of the thoughts that seem to be bringing you down, rather than lifting you up…that will be the moment, when there will be room within the heart…to experience a love that goes way beyond any love you could ever experience!
Many blessings on your day!
It’s Always & Only Because of Him…
Diane
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