I once had a student who was the epitome of a spoiled child. Though his father loved him, this student constantly criticized his father. In his mind, his father could never do enough for him and he was always upset with his father because his father wouldn’t let him do whatever he wanted. As soon as this student could, he left his home for greener pastures, still adamantly believing his father could care less about him. It was a sad situation that was painful to watch. This young man just could not see his father’s love for him.
I wonder how often we are like this with God? How often do we fail to see God’s love because He doesn’t do what we want Him to do? How often do we determine God’s love for us by the absence of negative circumstances in our lives? How often do we completely miss the beauty and magnitude of God’s love for us because we are so focused on our circumstances and ourselves?
I am convinced that one of our deepest problems is a failure to understand God’s love for us and consequently see ourselves rightly in light of God’s love. Many of our personal battles have this issue at their root. We wouldn’t worry nearly as much if we better understood God’s love for us. We wouldn’t despair in trials the way we do if we better understood God’s love for us. We would better resist sin if we better understood God’s love for us!
In Psalm 143:8, David writes some profound words, “Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You.”
What an amazing thing to pray! “Oh Lord! Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness! Don’t let me walk through life missing the depth of your love for me! Don’t let me be so consumed with myself that I don’t even see your love! Help me to grasp your love! Reveal this more clearly to me, I beg of You!”
Do you truly trust God? Do you truly give yourself to Him? If so, then beg Him to cause you to more clearly see His love. Beg Him to more clearly see how you should live your life in light of His deep love for you.
You see, it is out of God’s love for us that He reveals His love for us and reveals to us how we are to live our lives. Therefore, regardless of your circumstances, beg God to show you more of His love and how you are to walk through the circumstances you are in, based upon His great love for you. The deeper your understanding of God’s love for you, the stronger your foundation will be to face whatever circumstances come your way! You will grow to see God as your Heavenly Father who has a limitless love for You and you will see yourself as one who is deeply and intimately loved by the Creator of all! “Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness!”