Never not Loved

Does God love me at all? If He does, does He love me all the time? Or are there times when He loves me less? Does God hate me? Is He punishing me?

These are very valid questions – ones many of us have asked at some point. We’ve heard that God is a God of love, that He loves us deeply, yet there are times when we don’t feel loved. Sometimes, our circumstances seem to suggest otherwise. In moments of doubts, we may find ourselves echoing the words of Job:

 “Why did I not die at birth? Why did I not perish when I came from the womb?” - Job 3:11.

Or like David: “How long, O Lord, Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” - Psalm 13:1.

Like Elijah, we may say “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life” - 1 Kings 19:4.

Even Jesus had his moment on the cross, when he cried “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” - Matthew 27:46.

The truth is, we were once God’s enemies. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul explains that we were dead in trespasses, walking according to the course of this world. We were by nature children of wrath, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenant of promise - Ephesians 2. However, when we believed in His sacrifice on the cross and received His life, everything changed.

In the same letter, Paul describes us now as loved by God, raised together in Christ, saved by grace, and brought near to God by the blood. In Ephesians 2:15, Paul writes that Christ abolished in His flesh the enmity and made peace between us and God. We are no longer God’s enemies; we are His children. Romans 8:15 declares that we have received the Spirit of adoption, by which we cry out, Abba, Father.

Interestingly, all the people mentioned above who went through these challenging times were God’s people. God bragged about Job to the devil. He chose Elijah to be a prophet. He called Jesus His beloved Son, in whom He was well pleased. Yet, they all went through tough times. And all of these happened before Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. How much more now, for us who are under the new covenant, recipients of God’s manifold grace and fully loved and accepted through Christ?

We see that the presence of challenging times is not the absence of God’s love. In fact, the love of God for anyone is one reason the devil will do all he can to cause them to deny God and think they have been forgotten.

Challenging times are not evidence of the absence of God’s love. In fact, His love may be the very reason the enemy is trying so hard to shake our faith. But in moments like these, we must remind ourselves of God’s promises:

• "I have loved you with an everlasting love." - Jeremiah 31:3

• "I will never leave you nor forsake you." - Hebrews 13:5

• "No one will snatch you out of My hand." - John 10:28

• "Nothing can separate us from the love of God." - Romans 8:38–39

  
  

Though the situation may be difficult, God is fully aware. He sees. He knows. And He can work all things together for our good - Romans 8:28. These truths should strengthen us. We can stand firm in the face of tribulation because:

1. We will not be tempted beyond what we can bear.

2. God always provides a way of escape - 1 Corinthians 10:13.

   
   

This situation is not happening to us—it is happening for us. We’re coming out stronger. We’re coming out better.

Let me leave you with this beautiful promise from Amos 9:13–14 (The Message Translation):

Yes indeed, it won’t be long now. God’s Decree. ‘Things are going to happen so fast your head will swim, one thing fast on the heels of the other. You won’t be able to keep up. Everything will be happening at once — and everywhere you look, blessings! Blessings like wine pouring off the mountains and hills. I’ll make everything right again for My people.

This is God’s word to you. He is not punishing you. He has loved you with an everlasting love. You are NEVER NOT LOVED—regardless of what’s happening in your life, career, home, school, business, or ministry. You are the beloved of God, and He is working it all out for your good.