We all have those days. The kids misbehave, the dog doesn’t make it outside in time, the dishwasher repairman reschedules, and you lose it. Your sin nature bursts through, and you display a decided lack of being content in all circumstances. (Philippians 4:12) You act unlovely, and feel unlovable.
Perhaps you don’t just have bad days… perhaps you have had a rough life. Truly awful things have happened to you. You have made bad decisions and done things that were wrong. You can’t imagine how God could love you. You feel unlovable because you have not felt love, and you have behaved unlovingly.
Why Do We Feel Unlovable?
Sometimes we feel that God can’t love us because of how we have behaved. It could be because of what we have done… sin in our lives makes us feel separate from Him. How could a holy God possibly love a sinner?
We can also feel unlovable because of what we HAVEN’T done. You haven’t kicked that addiction, or reconciled with your estranged brother. You haven’t volunteered to teach Sunday School, or bring meals to a church member with cancer. We create imaginary checklists that we are sure God must keep to rate our lovableness.
Rejection by others can have a profound impact on our view of ourselves as lovable. Yet often rejection is more about the other person, than about us!
Our relationship with our earthly fathers is often mirrored in our view of our relationship with God. If your dad was distant, you may feel that God is distant.
TRUTH: God Loves You Eternally
The good news that we have been talking about all month is that your feelings don’t change what is true! You may not feel lovable, but God’s Word says you are loved!
God has demonstrated His love for us by sending Jesus to pay for our sins:
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Roman 5:8)
His love is tender:
The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. (Psalm 103:8)
God’s love never ends:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23)
And what can keep you from God’s love? NOTHING!
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 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. (Romans 8:35-39)
If You Feel Unlovable
If you are questioning God’s personal love for you, here are a few practical suggestions to help you begin to see the love God has for you:
- Keep a love journal. Every day write down details of your day that were blessings, little ways God demonstrated His love for you. Remember, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” (James 1:17)
- Go through God’s Word and make a list of verses that tell of God’s love for you. You can keep this in your journal, or perhaps write them on sticky notes and put them up in your house, car, office, or anywhere you can see them regularly and be reminded.
Child of God, you are precious in His sight, and loved beyond measure. Don’t believe your feelings, believe the truth and be set free!
[…] pointed out that when we feel unlovable, God loves eternally! Though we may feel unloveable some days, the truth is that God loves us no matter what— forever! […]