In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:10 (NKJV)
Do you ever wonder if you love God enough?
When I was young, it used to bother me that others seemed to be deeply in love with God because I just didn’t feel that way yet. I wanted to love God. I even prayed for Him to help me love Him more. But what I didn’t realize at the time was this:
It’s not about how much you love God; it’s about realizing how much He loves you.
We often flip this idea around. We think that we have to love God first before expecting anything from Him. But today’s verse puts the emphasis on God’s love for us, not our love for Him.
Of course it’s important to love God, but how does that love develop? Do we grow that love by feeling bad for not loving God enough? No, this love is grown just as love is developed in other relationships. We develop love for others as we get to know them better and as we discover that we can trust them by leaning on them when we need help, and the same is true with God.
The more you learn about your Father God and recognize the phenomenal love that he has for you, the more your love for him will grow.
As you read the Bible (starting with the New Testament) to learn about His love and about what He’s done for you, you’ll begin to discover that love. Talk to him, get to know Him, His promises and provisions, and start to lean on him when you need strength and comfort, because the truth is, God loves you so much!