Perceptions

"We will not love well until we feel well loved." Beth Moore

Heard this quote last night at my study, and I have thoughts of agreement and disagreement.

I know I love others better when and after I have spent time with God--reading the Bible, praying, etc. So at those times, I feel loved and I love. Also, I know that when I am all insecure and anxious, that comes out of me and replaces the loving actions towards others. Those feelings of insecurity and anxiety are an outgrowth of unbelief and they are both rooted in pride--ie. it's all about me, everyone is looking at me, I am such a loser, etc. ('me' and 'I' dominate those thoughts!)

Also, I know that if God pours His love in me--but I have to allow Him to do that, He won't force me to accept it--that love is going to have to pour out to others.

The one thing that trips me up about that first quote is the word 'feel." Sometimes, I just don't feel His love. Does that mean that it's not there? I can not trust my feelings because they go up and down according to the day's events, latest conversation and even the time of the month!

When my feelings tell me one thing, like "God is just messing with me and He can't possibly love me" I need to recognize the fact that that is just a lie. I don't know about yours, but my feelings are downright fickle--that's when I need to hang on to what I know is truth.

And the truth?

God loves me even when I don't 'feel' it.

I work at a petting farm that gives tours to school groups, etc. One little boy kept asking me why my neck was green! Now, working at the farm, you get a little nervous not knowing what could be on you and where it may have come from! After I felt my neck to make sure I didn't have any unknown green substance on it, I realized my neck looked green to the little 4 year old because I was wearing a lime green shirt and its' greenness reflected on to my skin.

My point is that he really thought my neck was green---that was his perspective and what it looked like to him. The FACT was that that wasn't true.

We can think things are true--because we 'feel' them or perceive it to be--and that doesn't change the truth.

The truth is--Jesus loves you and me, in fact, He doesn't just love us, He likes us, too! That's amazing!!

1 John 4:16 (Amplified Bible)
16And we know (understand, recognize, are conscious of, by observation and by experience) and believe (adhere to and put faith in and rely on) the love God cherishes for us. God is love, and he who dwells and continues in love dwells and continues in God, and God dwells and continues in him.