LIVE LOVED

 

Good morning sweet friends.

I'm not usually in the habit of blogging my morning devotional every morning, but these last couple of days, Lysa T. has really been touching my heart.  And when that happens, I normally turn to my keyboard.

Today, while we are still talking about rejection, we are kind of twisting it around to exhale and push you back out there.  To remind us to stand strong and realize who we are in ourselves and in God's love.  Not in our perceived perceptions of what others think of us.

I read this today and I thought, "Yes!" that's it.

"Live from the abundant place where you are loved, and you won't find yourself begging others for scraps of love.

It's not deciding in your mind, I deserve to be loved.  Or manipulating your heart to feel loved."

Two and a half years ago, I left a five-year relationship.  One in which I was working so hard to be loved...one I was "manipulating my heart to feel loved."  Of course, I'm not sure I could see that or  even felt that while I was in the relationship, but it's when we step out and away from these relationships, that we realize what we were doing to ourselves.

As Lysa says, "You were created by a God who formed you because He very much loved the thought of you.  When you were nothing, He saw something and declared it good.  Very good.  And very loved."'

Fast forward two and a half years later, and I'm in a new relationship with a person that reflects the true heart of God and has shown me these very things.

We are loved.  Not because we terrific people.  Love and acceptance shouldn't be built on you manipulating your heart to receive the gift of another's respect or love.

We should LIVE from the place where God LOVES us.  LIVE LOVED.

Exhaling ourselves onto others, not inhaling and waiting for people to accept us or love us.  God's love isn't based on our works, so neither should we expect other people's love to be based on our works nor should we give our love based on works or acceptance.

God places His love on us, and we can LIVE LOVED from that space.  How wonderful is that?

I hope each of you remember this today as you go out - into your school classrooms and hallways, into your work places, and into your homes filled with the people you actually do love deeply and fully.

Pray this prayer from Lysa today to help you exhale and live loved:

Dear Lord, I'm so grateful I don't have to walk around all day trying to figure out who likes me and who doesn't.  I can simply rest in the truth that I am completely and perfectly loved by You.  Help me to live loved today.  In Jesus Name, Amen."

Go and make your Wednesday special.  You can do this!

Until another time...