No, I am not deconstructing my faith. No, I am not burning the patriarchy. No, I do not have critical or derogatory comments for the Church. BUT. After reading Bobby Schuller’s “You Are Beloved” I am starting to view God in a new and very welcome way. I was raised in the Church. I’ve followed Jesus since the age of 10. I have always struggled to view God as anything other than an entity to fear and appease. I have not believed God particularly liked me at all.
Someone dear to me gave me this book to read, and dare I say it just may be changing my entire life? I’m still hesitant. Definitely holding on to a healthy dose of skepticism. However, the main idea is this - and if true, it grants total freedom:
“I’m not what I do. I’m not what I have. I’m not what people say about me. I am the Beloved of God. It’s who I am. No one can take it from me. I don’t have to worry. I don’t have to hurry. I can trust my friend Jesus. And share His love with the world.” *Mic drop*
This heralds back to the simple truth that Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so…God loves ME, who I was before I knew him, who I am now, just because. He assures me I am beloved, and I belong. Not in order to make me fall in line. Not in order to even bring glory to himself. He delights in me just because. Full stop. Because of this security of belonging and being beloved, my heart rejoices, which produces the byproducts of glory and obedience to Him.
Church, fellow Jesus-lovers, friends questioning and friends who don’t care at all - let’s make sure we are majoring on the majors not the minors. God IS love incarnate. He IS Truth incarnate. His character is what draws us in. How about we spotlight that? Thanks for doing just that, Bobby.