The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.” Jeremiah 31:3 (NKJV)
We’ve been on a series over the past few days about healing our “orphan’s hearts.” Perhaps you know this orphan-like feeling well; you’ve experienced times when you felt desperately alone or strangely empty. These feelings can plague all of us—even as believers—when we’ve lost sight of God’s unconditional love for us.
The trouble is, we need to know that God loves us and that we are right with Him in Christ. Jesus went to the cross for you to deal with your sin nature. When you gave your life to Him, you received His right standing with God. Now, when God looks at you, He doesn’t focus in on everything you’ve done wrong. What He sees is someone who is completely right with Him—accepted, loved and blessed.
Without this focus, it’s impossible to trust in God’s unconditional love. We keep thinking about everything we’ve done wrong, assuming that God is angry with us or out to get us. But God looks at you through Christ, and the blood of Jesus has washed you clean. The sin nature you once had is gone and you now have the nature of God.
Does this new nature mean that you never sin? No, we all fall short of God’s perfect plans, but your sinful nature is gone. Inside of you is the nature and presence of God, but you’re a work in progress. His Word is teaching you, showing you God’s values and ways, and you are changing and growing in Him. Focus on the fact that God loves you and on what all that love includes, and it will bring healing to your orphan’s heart!