The foundation of the Christian faith is the undeserved, limitless love of God who exhibited the ultimate power of that love through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary.

What can we say about all of this? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31 (GW)

I can never earn God’s love for me. Yet He loves me still.

It is, I, who desires to draw closer to Him… or not. I try to fight against my circumstances – hardships, adversity, suffering, in mind, body, and spirit – whatever my circumstances may be are the very things that will sift and sand me into something beautiful and shiny.

“What will separate us from the love Christ has for us? Can trouble, distress, persecution, hunger, nakedness, danger, or violent death separate us from his love?… The one who loves us gives an overwhelming victory in all these difficulties.” Romans 8.35-37 (GW)

The world wants me to see my circumstances and my sin differently than God. I recognize in my circumstances as I draw closer to Him that confession, repentance, and obedience are the necessary tools to feeling the love of God has for me. It is not the shallowness of the simple act of confession, but the genuine confessing, repenting, and the grieving of my sin that impacts my devotion to Him.

I persevere in my faith in Jesus Christ to look past my circumstances to see what God sees – an undiminished radiance.

“In fact, to be distressed in a godly way causes people to change the way they think and act and leads them to be saved. No one can regret that. But the distress that the world causes brings only death. When you became distressed in a godly way, look at how much devotion it caused you to have.” 2 Corinthians 7:10-11 (GW)

Prayer Journal Prompt:

“COME CLOSE TO GOD, AND HE WILL COME CLOSE TO YOU.” JAMES 4:8 (GW)

Am I keeping my distance from God? Why?

How does the world view my circumstances?

What is happening in my life that keeps me from seeing what God sees?

What does, “the grieving of my sin” mean to me? What does it mean to God?

 

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