Is God Okay With Me?
If God is for us, who can be against us? ~Rom. 8:31b
Shortly before I left my abusive marriage, I asked my mom through tears, “Is God okay with me?” I remember the feelings of shame regarding the failed marriage; the pain of having to leave the church that enabled the abuse and offered no safety or protection for me; the belief that I had missed God’s will and was being shelved.
In my moment of vulnerability and grief, my mom said that yes, God is okay with me. Her answer was all I had to cling to while everything else seemed hopeless. Through the ensuing years of recovery and by developing a gospel-centered theology, I learned why my mom could respond to my question the way she did (with the help of the Holy Spirit), and why that answer holds true for all of us.
And this is VERY good news! We fall far short of glory (Rom. 3:23). We can’t please God no matter how hard we try, because no amount of effort on our part can accomplish what faith does (Rom. 9:31-32). In fact, even our best accomplishments are like useless, filthy rags (Is. 64:6). Our performance is like a house built on sand that falls flat (Matt. 7:24-27). Our works don’t save us; God’s mercy does (Rom 9:15-16). We’re not good enough, but Jesus is––he did all the work (Acts 4:12)!
God is not only okay with us, he welcomes us as his precious children. He made us uniquely (Ps. 139:13-15) and delights in us (Ps. 147:11). We have no beauty contest to win because God made us lovely in his sight. God doesn’t shame our bodies because he made them this way. God gave us not only his Holy Spirit, but also individual talents, gifts, interests, and intelligence as his special treasures, for his glory (2 Cor. 4:7). While it’s true that we were created to praise God, and our honor is to obey him, what he wants most is a relationship with us (Rev. 3:20, Zeph. 3:17, Matt. 11:28-29).
It’s a hard, sad truth that many churches have stricter standards for inclusion than God himself does. I’m heartbroken to hear daily of so many people who have been abandoned or harmed in their time of suffering because they no longer fit the ideal-church-member profile, or the church wasn’t equipped to handle their hardship. God is not okay with oppression, stigma, or self-righteousness, even if it happens in church.
There is no hierarchy of spirituality that can change God’s acceptance of his children. If we are following Jesus in repentance and faith, seeking his will for our next steps, we are in ideal standing before God. No matter who we are, we are loved. Whether we are housewives or pastors wives; behind-the-scenes servants or high-profile public speakers; mothers of model children or mothers of disappointing children; single women, married women, divorced women, widowed women; childless or mothers of many––we are completely loved and accepted by God himself, the creator of all.
No matter what has happened to us or what we’ve done, we are loved (Rom. 8:31-37). Whether we have suffered abuse, rape, betrayal, divorce, loss, or grief, or whether we have sinned against others by abortion, infidelity, judgment, or violence, God offers the same hope of the gospel to all. With him, there is comfort, fellowship, forgiveness, and salvation not only for eternity but in the here and now.
It’s dangerous to equate the church with God. If a Jesus-follower ever senses exclusion, judgment, or criticism from a place of worship, it is not a reflection of God’s character. Find a community that treats you like Jesus does––with love, kindness, and compassion. It’s important that people in the kingdom of God multiply his love and grace to each other, repeating God’s posture toward his children. God is a welcoming God, and yes, he is okay with you!
©2023 Julie Knapp. First published 12.19.23
Shortly before I left my abusive marriage, I asked my mom through tears, “Is God okay with me?” I remember the feelings of shame regarding the failed marriage; the pain of having to leave the church that enabled the abuse and offered no safety or protection for me; the belief that I had missed God’s will and was being shelved.
In my moment of vulnerability and grief, my mom said that yes, God is okay with me. Her answer was all I had to cling to while everything else seemed hopeless. Through the ensuing years of recovery and by developing a gospel-centered theology, I learned why my mom could respond to my question the way she did (with the help of the Holy Spirit), and why that answer holds true for all of us.
- Our Okay-ness With God is Not Dependent On Us.
And this is VERY good news! We fall far short of glory (Rom. 3:23). We can’t please God no matter how hard we try, because no amount of effort on our part can accomplish what faith does (Rom. 9:31-32). In fact, even our best accomplishments are like useless, filthy rags (Is. 64:6). Our performance is like a house built on sand that falls flat (Matt. 7:24-27). Our works don’t save us; God’s mercy does (Rom 9:15-16). We’re not good enough, but Jesus is––he did all the work (Acts 4:12)!
- God is More Than Okay With Us.
God is not only okay with us, he welcomes us as his precious children. He made us uniquely (Ps. 139:13-15) and delights in us (Ps. 147:11). We have no beauty contest to win because God made us lovely in his sight. God doesn’t shame our bodies because he made them this way. God gave us not only his Holy Spirit, but also individual talents, gifts, interests, and intelligence as his special treasures, for his glory (2 Cor. 4:7). While it’s true that we were created to praise God, and our honor is to obey him, what he wants most is a relationship with us (Rev. 3:20, Zeph. 3:17, Matt. 11:28-29).
- God is Okay With Us, Even if the Church Isn’t.
It’s a hard, sad truth that many churches have stricter standards for inclusion than God himself does. I’m heartbroken to hear daily of so many people who have been abandoned or harmed in their time of suffering because they no longer fit the ideal-church-member profile, or the church wasn’t equipped to handle their hardship. God is not okay with oppression, stigma, or self-righteousness, even if it happens in church.
There is no hierarchy of spirituality that can change God’s acceptance of his children. If we are following Jesus in repentance and faith, seeking his will for our next steps, we are in ideal standing before God. No matter who we are, we are loved. Whether we are housewives or pastors wives; behind-the-scenes servants or high-profile public speakers; mothers of model children or mothers of disappointing children; single women, married women, divorced women, widowed women; childless or mothers of many––we are completely loved and accepted by God himself, the creator of all.
No matter what has happened to us or what we’ve done, we are loved (Rom. 8:31-37). Whether we have suffered abuse, rape, betrayal, divorce, loss, or grief, or whether we have sinned against others by abortion, infidelity, judgment, or violence, God offers the same hope of the gospel to all. With him, there is comfort, fellowship, forgiveness, and salvation not only for eternity but in the here and now.
It’s dangerous to equate the church with God. If a Jesus-follower ever senses exclusion, judgment, or criticism from a place of worship, it is not a reflection of God’s character. Find a community that treats you like Jesus does––with love, kindness, and compassion. It’s important that people in the kingdom of God multiply his love and grace to each other, repeating God’s posture toward his children. God is a welcoming God, and yes, he is okay with you!
©2023 Julie Knapp. First published 12.19.23