“Securely Loved” by Anna Babin

I want you to know deeply in your heart that you are profoundly loved by our Father. I want you to know, not just in your head – but in your gut, how deeply He cares for you. It can be hard to believe this truth when pain and tragedies come to ourselves or those we love, but that doesn’t make it any less true! I have struggled to believe this for quite some time now.

This past year, God has been showing me that His love for me is not based on how well I love Him. That still blows my mind even as I type it out. I still think to myself, “Really? Even if I haven’t been reading His Word much, even if my prayers have been filled with doubt, fear, and questioning???? Even if I have specifically chosen not to commune with Him at times because of my confusion or distrust????”

I have done a really bad job of loving God this past year, if I’m being honest. I have often ignored Him, not giving Him the best of my time, and my heart hasn’t really been too engaged in the relationship. The deaths and tragedies that my close friends have faced these last few months have left me confused and doubting that God really does care for His people. It is so hard to admit that, and I hate that the thought even creeps in my heart, but it has been a struggle for me.

You want to know the amazing thing though? Even through all of my doubt and ugliness towards God, He never once has stopped loving me.  He never once has stopped delighting over me. He hasn’t loved me any less than He does when I am on FIRE for Him. He welcomes my questions, doubts, and fears, and He wants me to be real and honest with Him because that is what makes a genuine relationship.

I have been amazed at the mercy (God not giving me the wrath my sin deserves) and grace (God giving me blessings I don’t deserve) I have been shown this past year, in spite of my sinfulness. This past year, God chose to bless my husband and me with a child on the way. In His mercy, we were able to get pregnant quickly and easily, even while we were expecting to have issues due to health concerns. Every life is a miracle, but this one has amazed us that nothing is too hard for God. Also, after 8 years of praying for my sister to come Home to the Lord…she DID!!! The very same month we got pregnant!!! We got to experience new life formed both physically and spiritually in August of 2018. I say these things, not because every story is the same, but because every story is different, and I didn’t do a single thing to deserve either one of those events happening.

I truly believe that if I had been “loving God well” (at least according to my loose standards), I probably would have tried to take credit in my heart, out of my self-righteousness, for both the pregnancy and my sister coming Home to the Lord. But because I have been acutely aware of how terribly I’ve done at loving the Lord this past year, it has been incredibly clear that there is no way I could take credit for either of those things, and I certainly didn’t deserve either of those gifts.

How quickly I think it is up to my faithfulness, that God would show me His love and care. I am SO thankful it is not up to me, because I could never measure up to His standards of perfection and perfect love (even when I think I do). So if you are going through a hard time right now, or are struggling in your relationship with God, I encourage you to go to Him about it…even though you may not feel like it. You don’t have to gloss over the pain in life with a smile or a pretty journal entry…you can come to Him with the ugly, and tears, and anger, and questions. You are His child whom He loves, and He desires to meet you where you are, and to show you His True self.

He is beautiful – even when we don’t acknowledge His beauty. He is patient and faithful – even when we wander. He is lovely and loving – even when we are not. He is our HOPE in a life that can feel hopeless. He will NEVER be taken away from us – even when things of this life are. We are held securely in His hand through Jesus Christ, and nothing can ever pluck us out…even when we do a “bad job” of loving Him.

“Cheer up, Zion! Don’t be afraid! For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty Savior. He will delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” –-Zephaniah 3:16-17 NLT

“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.” –John 10:28-29

“Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.” –1 John 4:18

“Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.” –Hebrews 7:25

“Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!” –Romans 5:7-9 NIV

~ Written by Anna Babin ~

Anna Babin is a Birmingham native who moved to the Rocket City after marrying her husband, Michael. She is blessed to work at the Huntsville Pregnancy Resource Center, where she gets to love on women facing unexpected pregnancies. Her passions include studying God’s word, blogging, public speaking, all things health, gardening, and drinking coffee. Check out her blog at www.LifeAsALight.com.

Tags: Blessings, Father, grace, Love, Securely Loved