Sometimes we’re trying to clean ourselves up, trying hard to be good enough, and then we’ll believe that God really loves us, but God loves you right now. He loved you when you were doing wrong and were off course. God put His love on you. You are permanently loved. Nothing you’ve done has changed God’s love for you.
Joel & Victoria Osteen
Day 1
Scripture: Romans 5:8
God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. – Romans 5:8, NLT
His Love Is Great
A lot of people live with an “I think God loves me” mentality because they base it on their performance. “I went to church last weekend. I was kind to my neighbor. I think He loves me.” Sometimes we’re trying to clean ourselves up, trying hard to be good enough, and then we’ll believe that God really loves us. The problem with this approach is that when we make mistakes, when we get off course, when we don’t perform perfectly, we think God changes His mind about us.
Take the pressure off. God loves you right now with a great love. It isn’t an “I think” love or a conditional love. The apostle Paul says that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Nothing you’ve done has changed God’s love. There’s nothing you can do to make God love you any more or any less. It’s a gift. Just receive it by faith.
A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that I never have to wonder about Your unconditional love for me because You’ve proven it through Jesus’ death on the cross. I believe that there is nothing I can do to make You love me more or any less than You always have. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
Day 2
Scripture: Matthew 22:39
“…Love your neighbor as yourself.” – Matthew 22:39, NIV
Start Loving Yourself
Jesus said that if you don’t love yourself in a healthy way, you will never be able to love others in the way that you should. This is why some people don’t have good relationships. If you don’t get along with yourself, you’ll never get along with others. We all have weaknesses, shortcomings, and things that we wish were different. But if you see yourself as less than, not talented, and not valuable, you will become exactly that. If you feel unattractive on the inside, you will convey feelings of unattractiveness. That’s going to push people away. You carry yourself the way you see yourself.
People see you the way you see yourself. Perhaps if you quit focusing on your flaws and start loving yourself in a healthy way, being proud of who God made you to be, then as you send out these different messages, it’s going to bring new opportunities, new relationships, and new levels of God’s favor.
A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You for uniquely designing me with gifts, talents, and abilities to enjoy life and accomplish Your will. Help me to love myself with all my weaknesses, shortcomings, and things I wish were different. I celebrate who I am. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
Day 3
Scripture: Luke 15:20
“While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” – Luke 15:20, NIV
God Loves Imperfect People
Most of the time, we believe that God loves us as long as we’re making good decisions, resisting temptation, and treating people right. But there will be times when you compromise, times when you have doubts, times when you fail. When we don’t perform perfectly, it’s easy to think that God is far from us.
I say this respectfully, but sometimes religion pushes people down. It says, “If you make poor choices, you’re on your own.” But the truth is that when you fall, God doesn’t turn away from you. He comes running toward you. When you blow it, God doesn’t say, “Too bad. You had your chance.” Rather, He comes after you with a greater passion. When you make a mistake, God loves you so much that He pursues you. He won’t leave you alone until He sees you restored and back on the right course. That’s the mercy of God coming after you. God loves imperfect people.
A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that Your love and forgiveness are not based on my performance but upon the fact that I am Your child. Thank You that You love me, imperfect as I am, and that every mistake I’ve made and ever will make has already been paid for in full. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
Day 4
Scripture: Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity. – Proverbs 17:17, NIV
A Friend Loves at All Times
You can tell who your real friends are when you fail, when you get off course. Friends stay loyal to the people God puts in their lives. Good people make mistakes and blow it. People who love you can let you down. When your loved ones and friends make mistakes, they don’t need another judge to condemn them or add to their guilt and shame. You can help love them back into wholeness. To be loyal doesn’t mean you condone or approve their actions. You’re simply showing them the mercy you would want shown to you. You’re being a healer, a restorer. You lift people up.
Don’t be a fair-weather friend. Be the friend who walks in when others are walking out. Our attitude should be, “You can count on me. I’m committed to loving you for the long haul, through thick and thin.” They know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they can count on you.
A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You for loving me at all times, for pouring out Your grace upon me, and never giving up on me when I’ve failed. Thank You for the friends You’ve given. Help me to be loyal to them and be at my best when someone else is at their worst. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
Day 5
Scripture: John 11:3
Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” – John 11:3, NKJV
Recognize His Love for You
It’s interesting that when Mary and Martha sent a message to Jesus asking Him to come and pray for Lazarus, they didn’t say, “Jesus, please come. You know how much Lazarus loves You.” Instead, the message was, “Jesus, the one whom You love is sick.” They didn’t tell Jesus how much Lazarus loved Him. They thought it would be more persuasive to remind Jesus about how much He loved Lazarus.
Sometimes we’re trying to convince God that we love Him. “God, I attended church last week. Would You please help me now?” Why don’t you do as Mary and Martha did and say, “Lord, the one whom You love needs healing. The one whom You love is hurting.” What moves God is not just your love for Him, but recognizing His love for you. It pleases God when you know you are dearly loved. That’s why the Scripture says, “Come boldly to the throne.” Don’t go to Him feeling unworthy.
A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that I am dearly loved by You, and that is all that really matters. Thank You that You don’t require that I be religious enough or good enough to earn Your love. I recognize Your great love today and come to Your throne boldly with my praise. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
Day 6
Scripture: 1 John 4:10
This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. – 1 John 4:10, NLT
This Is Real Love
“Real love” is not our love for God; it’s God’s love for us. When we try to perform to gain His love, the problem is that we can never measure up. There will always be something we can’t do right, some reason we can’t feel good about ourselves. Why don’t you take the pressure off and receive real love—God’s love for you?
That’s what the lady who was caught in the act of adultery had to do in John 8. When her religious accusers walked away, failing to condemn her, Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” He didn’t say, “Go and change your ways, quit giving in to the temptation, and then I’ll love you, then I’ll be for you.” Just the opposite. He first said, “I don’t condemn you.” Before He talked about her behavior, before he addressed the issues, Jesus made sure she knew she was the one whom He loved.
A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that Your love is the real love that I need to change my life. Thank You that You sent Jesus as a sacrifice to take away my sins that I might receive Your love as a gift. I receive it now, and I believe I am the one whom You love. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
Day 7
Scripture: 1 Peter 4:8
Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. – 1 Peter 4:8, NLT
Love Covers
In relationships, we all have disagreements, tension, and stress. When we do, we need to step back and remember that love makes allowances for other people’s weaknesses. Love covers a wrong done to it. You have to rise above these petty things that are pulling you apart. Give people room to have a bad day. When they’re rude, don’t respond. Be an eagle and rise above it. Life is too short for you to live at odds, being contentious, arguing over things that don’t matter. Some people have to have the last word in every argument. Don’t be hard-headed. Let it go. Quit wasting your energy. You have a destiny to fulfill. You have an assignment to accomplish. Those are distractions trying to pull you off course. Zip it up and let the other person be right. You may know they’re wrong, but it doesn’t matter. Don’t waste your valuable time on something that’s not moving you toward your purpose.
A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You for loving and approving me just as I am. Help me to do the same with others and seek the best for others. I ask You for the deep love that covers offenses and weaknesses so that I can honor You in everything I do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”