Christian singer and songwriter J.J. Heller sang: “Who will love me for me, not for what I have done or what I will become.” The lyrics speak of a yearning we all have - to be loved, just as we are.
The truth is that most of us try to adapt or create fake images of ourselves because we believe this will make us more lovable. We put on a happy face, even though we carry a sadness or are trying to hide our insecurities. We post only the most interesting things about ourselves on social media because we imagine this will make us popular. We put other people down, or gossip about them, because we think this sort of talk will make us more “interesting” to our friends or colleagues.
It is interesting, therefore, that the people who love us the most usually have very little desire to see us change in ways that are not genuine or life-giving. That’s not because we are perfect. We aren’t! Being loved, despite our failings and imperfections, is what we crave. We crave it especially from those who we hope love us the most, such as our parents or spouse.
Loving us, despite our imperfections, is definitely how God loves us. We can’t fake who we are in God’s eyes.
Can you believe this? When you are feeling at your lowest, and most unloved, what would it mean to know that God loves you just as you are?
FOOD FOR YOUR SPIRITUAL JOURNEY
If you are considering what it might be like to live life as a Christian, then there are two core things you should know. Firstly, God loves you. And secondly, God’s desire is that our response to this love is that we would love God and love our neighbour.
Please get in touch with us if you need someone to help you think this through a bit more. In the meantime, we offer you this prayer.
Loving God
When I come before you to pray, help me to be me, not to pretend, or be fake.
Allow me, God, to speak honestly to you about how I see myself,
and to share with you my vulnerabilities.
God, you see how I live my daily life. You know my thoughts, my desires, my worries. Everything.
And you still love me, just as I am.
Help me to respond to your love, by loving others just as they are.
Not for what they have done, or what they will become.
Just as they are.
Amen
Words: Adapted from Discovering Prayer: A 30 day prayer journey of encountering God, and love. Available from here
Images: Tiago Bandeira, Unsplash
Ben Mater, Unsplash