How can we say that you are "truly loved"?
If you have felt loved at some point in your life, you have probably also felt the sting of betrayal. That's because even the best people are still imperfect, and all of us are still learning how to love well, some more intentionally than others. So if you have hesitations believing that you can be truly loved, you are not alone.
Whatever your experiences have been with human love, the God of all creation is perfect and without weakness. When He loves, it's a perfect love, and probably far greater than anything you could even imagine. For example, do you think a man or woman could ever love you so much that they would send their only son to take your death sentence, just so you could be with them? God's love is real, and He has demonstrated His love in this very way: He sent Jesus to take our place in death so that we could live!
Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Romans 5:7-8 (NLT)
While we were still sinners! That means that He loved us so much, Jesus went through the pain and agony of torture and death to bring us life while we were still cursing Him and doing whatever we wanted to do. Who loves that much? Only God. And He loves YOU that much. 1 John 4:19 says, "We love because He first loved us."
Here are some more ways we can know God loves us:
Nothing Can Separate You From His Love
God's love for us is so great, the apostle Paul says in Romans 8:38-39, "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." No accident or even enemy can remove us from God's love. He has paid the ultimate price to bring you into His family, and He's determined that nothing will take you away from Him.
He Has Given His Word
In Jeremiah 31:3, God says, "I have loved you with an everlasting love." In fact, the entire Bible is a love letter showing God's great love for us. He didn't want us to be unaware of His love, so He gave us great and precious promises through His Word. This is another way He loves us: He gave us the Bible to know Him better and to know His love.
God Wants To Spend Time With You
Through the Word of God, the Bible, He shows us that He wants to know us, and He wants us to know Him. Think of this: He already knows everything you need and desire, but He wants you to grow in relationship with Him so much that He wants you to tell Him anyway. This is what prayer is, our conversation with God. Through prayer, we communicate with the King of the Universe, who is ready to hear us and move on our behalf.
There are so many ways that God wants to show you His love is real and greater than anything you've ever known. In fact, His love is so deep, so wide, so mighty... discovering how great it is will take the rest of your life! He wants to be on this adventure with you and show you all the hidden treasures He has put inside of you.
By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. 1 John 3:16
