A constant theme in my monthly meetings with my spiritual director is God’s love for me. I’m thankful God loves me, but sometimes I wonder why.
If you are like me, you are an action-oriented leader. You have a task list and you want to get things done in your ministry. You want to serve your church and people. Your motives are good.
Sometimes, I have to examine my motives. Why do I do what I do? Well, there’s no doubt that I love it and I am passionate about my ministry with church leaders. Why else do I do what I do?
I have to admit that the thought that sometimes creeps into my mind is that I do this to earn God’s love.
The crazy thing is that there is nothing I can do to earn God’s love. My spiritual director reminds me of this all the time. God loves me unconditionally, whether I’ve done a good thing in my life or not.
I’m not at all suggesting that you and I should stop doing good things. I’m just challenging myself to recognize that God’s love is so much greater than me or the things I accomplish in my life.
How do I know this?
As the father of a young daughter, there is one thing I know: I love her to death! Why? She hasn’t done a thing to earn that love. She eats, cries, poos, whines, smiles, walks, talks, and plays. The moment she was born, I loved her…unconditionally.
She did nothing to earn my love, except one thing: exist.
You exist. That is the only reason God needs to love you.
May I be reminded of this every day as I work towards serving others in my ministry.
Question: Do you ever feel that you have to earn God’s love? Why?
