The God Who Delights in YOU
When was the last time you considered God's posture toward you?
When you think about what God thinks about you, what images come to your mind?
Do you really believe that God, the creator of the universe, delights in you?
Early in my journey of recovery from abuse, this concept was hard for me to swallow. My experiences overshadowed my theology– how could a loving God have allowed my life to be so miserable? The only conclusions I could come to, in my own thinking (read: "earthly wisdom") included:
Seeing The Light
Gradually, God's light of truth grew in my heart. He showed me passages that proved His love for and delight over me:
He brought me out into a broad place; He rescued me, because He delighted in me. Psalm 18:19
The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by his love; He will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17
The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His steadfast love. Psalm 147:11
It's Not About You
Only when I realized that trying to "please God" was equivalent to pagan worship (which requires people to do certain things to get favor from a higher power [read: "conditional relationship"]), that it dawned on me that if God is God, and He is, then He gets to decide who He delights in, and I can't do anything about it.
The truth is, God delights in us because of what Jesus did, not what we've done. When God looks at us, He sees Jesus' perfect, finished work on the cross, on our behalf. There's nothing that we, as sinful humans, could ever do to attain God's holy standard, which is why He and Jesus made a plan for our redemption before creation even happened (Ephesians 1:4).
Let That Sink In
How would your life be different if your mind and heart could grasp the realization that God delights in YOU?
How would your relationship with God grow if you knew that every time you come to Him, He's smiling at you, welcoming you into His presence?
What stress could you let go of, knowing that there's nothing you can do to make God love you more or less, because your relationship with Him is based on His perfect love for you?
How would your view of God be changed in your experience of Him as your loving Father instead of an angry authority figure waiting to pounce on you at the first infraction of some rule?
God's Got You Covered
Friend, if your perspective of God is anything other than a Person who loves you unconditionally, take time to bask in the truth of the verses above. Rid yourself of the lies of the enemy who wants to help you destroy yourself in false belief. Cling to the fact that Jesus has made a way for total reconciliation with God, and you are precious in His sight. You have been graced. You are highly favored. You are delightful to Him!
©2023 Julianne Knapp. First Published 1.24.23
Subscribe to free weekly articles in your inbox HERE; your information will never be shared. :-)
When you think about what God thinks about you, what images come to your mind?
Do you really believe that God, the creator of the universe, delights in you?
Early in my journey of recovery from abuse, this concept was hard for me to swallow. My experiences overshadowed my theology– how could a loving God have allowed my life to be so miserable? The only conclusions I could come to, in my own thinking (read: "earthly wisdom") included:
- the goodness of God toward people must be about others, not me
- God is there to execute justice and judgment, and He must be punishing me for some sin (known or unknown)
- I must keep on trying to please God, because that's what's preventing Him from delighting in me
Seeing The Light
Gradually, God's light of truth grew in my heart. He showed me passages that proved His love for and delight over me:
He brought me out into a broad place; He rescued me, because He delighted in me. Psalm 18:19
The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by his love; He will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17
The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His steadfast love. Psalm 147:11
It's Not About You
Only when I realized that trying to "please God" was equivalent to pagan worship (which requires people to do certain things to get favor from a higher power [read: "conditional relationship"]), that it dawned on me that if God is God, and He is, then He gets to decide who He delights in, and I can't do anything about it.
The truth is, God delights in us because of what Jesus did, not what we've done. When God looks at us, He sees Jesus' perfect, finished work on the cross, on our behalf. There's nothing that we, as sinful humans, could ever do to attain God's holy standard, which is why He and Jesus made a plan for our redemption before creation even happened (Ephesians 1:4).
Let That Sink In
How would your life be different if your mind and heart could grasp the realization that God delights in YOU?
How would your relationship with God grow if you knew that every time you come to Him, He's smiling at you, welcoming you into His presence?
What stress could you let go of, knowing that there's nothing you can do to make God love you more or less, because your relationship with Him is based on His perfect love for you?
How would your view of God be changed in your experience of Him as your loving Father instead of an angry authority figure waiting to pounce on you at the first infraction of some rule?
God's Got You Covered
Friend, if your perspective of God is anything other than a Person who loves you unconditionally, take time to bask in the truth of the verses above. Rid yourself of the lies of the enemy who wants to help you destroy yourself in false belief. Cling to the fact that Jesus has made a way for total reconciliation with God, and you are precious in His sight. You have been graced. You are highly favored. You are delightful to Him!
©2023 Julianne Knapp. First Published 1.24.23
Subscribe to free weekly articles in your inbox HERE; your information will never be shared. :-)