Rooted and Established in Love

"But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8).

God loves me so much, yet for some reason, I cannot seem to grasp it. I have a very difficult time receiving that love from Him. I sang the song in Sunday School (Jesus loves me, this is I know, for the Bible tells me so, yes Jesus loves me!) Yes, I know in my mind that Jesus loves me, but my heart does not feel that love from Him.

This morning I asked God to help me understand where the disconnect is. How can I begin to fill in this gap? Some thoughts popped in my mind and I believe the Lord was speaking to me through my journaling this morning.

I have a hard time with really feeling loved because:

• I have not completely forgiven myself or others for my past decisions. Even though these things do not haunt me daily, I feel a punch in my gut when any topics get brought up that relate to them.
• Satan wants me to feel this separation from God and I am letting him into my life by believing the lies that he is telling me.
• I believe the lie that I am not good enough and that other people who made wiser decisions are better than me.
• I need to understand and believe God's word. The people in the Bible are no different than you and me. They were ordinary people who God chose o do extraordinary things through. Jesus loves me and forgives me just as much as the people He forgave in the Bible.
• I should spend more of my prayer time receiving from Him and allowing God to turn me to scripture that battles these thoughts.
• I need to take my thoughts captive before they enter into the downward spiral of believing the lie that I am not good enough.

The only way I can truly let go and receive God's love for me, is through a relationship with Him. God's word is full of instructions and affirmations. I just need to keep on reading and getting to know my Lord, Jesus.