How I feel about God

"How do we know that God loves us?"  That was a question asked of us in church this past Sunday.  Its a question that has been repeated in my mind over and over again since, and today I'd like to address it.

First, let me say that I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Through it I have learned that I am a child of a kind and loving Heavenly Father and that His love is manifest in countless ways.  

It is manifest in his mercy.  I have felt His forgiveness many, many times.  It’s incredibly liberating and nothing motivates me to try harder to do better than that.  I have found Him to be constant and reliable.  I know I will always get the truth from Him and that His answers to my prayers will be for my greatest good.  He says “yes” as often as He can and “no” when whatever it is that I’m asking for is not right for me.   I know that I’m safe with Him and I can trust Him.

His patience with me has taught me patience.  When I find myself getting frustrated that things aren’t as I want them, like when people aren’t doing what I think they should or living up to my expectations, I remember how patient and understanding He’s been with me.  It helps me to slow down, take a breath and see things from another’s perspective.

There have been times when I have been really hard on myself and, whether out loud or to myself, have said unkind and untrue things.  In answer to these untruths, that inner, still small voice tells me that I must never demean or belittle myself, that such thinking and speaking is unworthy of me, and beneath me, as a child of a God.  

I think if we could really see how God feels about us- not how we perceive that He feels about us, but truly feel what He feels, we would all like ourselves a whole lot better; or at least not have done the things that make us dislike ourselves in the first place, because we wouldn’t ever want to disappoint such loving and high expectations.  We would realize how realistic those expectations are if we would give ourselves a chance and believe in ourselves, or in some cases, if we could only be patient with ourselves and our circumstances until we do fulfill them.

I’ve been coming to know Him and learning to love Him all these years, and I’m still working on it.  It’s a developing relationship that brings me more joy than anything else.  It’s a relationship brimming with love- love that I feel from God, which in turn, increases mine for Him.  The better I get to know Him, the more I love myself and others, too.

The longer and better I know God, the more I find my shallow perceptions of myself and others shattered.  Through God, I have come to truly love myself, to see the value and incredible potential in others, to love in spite of imperfection, and to hope for the good in others even when all hope seems lost.  That is what I have come to know and expect from my constant, kind, and most loving Father in Heaven.