God Loves Us So We Change

I lived most of my younger life believing that if I could do enough to please God, God would love me. 

This misguided belief came from ideas about God that centered on the notion that God pretty much couldn't stand me because I was such a worthless, sinning wretch, and the only way to fix that was to somehow become holy. 

But since being holy was incredibly hard, tedious and awful (at least the way I saw it), I decided that the idea of an angry, demanding God was not one that I  wanted to entertain, so I tossed my whole belief system about God out the window. 

What I didn't realize at the time, and would take me decades to truly internalize, was that God loved me as I was, and would continue to love me no matter what I thought about God, or how badly I messed up the direction of my life. 

In the end, that understanding of God's love drew me back to faith and a deeper understanding of what it meant to believe in a loving, grace-filled God, who would risk everything to save me from myself. 

As we continue on the sacred journey of Lent, we are reminded of the profound truth that God embraces us just as we are—full of flaws, fears, and insecurities. 

This season also invites us to reflection and transformation, revealing our need for change and the incredible depth of God’s love that empowers that change. Richard Rohr captures this beautifully: 

"Most of us were taught that God would love us if and when we change. In fact, God loves you so that you can change. What empowers change, what makes you desirous of change is the experience of love. It is that inherent experience of love that becomes the engine of change.” 

This powerful message dismantles the misconception that we must first earn God's love through our actions or moral perfection. Instead, it paints a picture of a God who wraps us in unconditional love, inviting us into a transformative relationship. 

There's a beautiful reminder from the ancient Hebrew Scriptures in Jeremiah 31:3, where God declares: 

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.” 

God’s love is not contingent upon our merit but flows from God's very nature. This divine love compels us to confront our shortcomings not with shame but with the hopeful potential for change.

The Lenten season is an opportunity to journey deep within ourselves, facing the aspects we may prefer to hide. 

Yet, in this vulnerability, in our willingness to lay bare our struggles and desires, we can truly encounter God’s love. God’s embrace inspires us to evolve and grow; love ignites a desire for authenticity and wholeness. 

As we experience God’s love, we find the courage to shed the burdens of guilt and hesitation and step forward into a life that reflects God's grace.

Amid the ashes and fasting of Lent, let us also celebrate the promise of new beginnings. Just as Jesus’ journey to the cross was marked by suffering but culminated in resurrection, our paths can lead to renewal as we invite God’s love into our struggles. 

Reflect on the areas of your life where you long for change. It may be in relationships, habits, or a deeper spiritual connection. Know that you are beloved in these spaces, deserving of God’s transformative grace.

In this season of introspection, embrace the truth that God loves you as you are; this love is the seed of your transformation. 

As you reflect, allow God’s love to take root in your heart, nurturing your desire for growth and renewal. Let this reminder empower you to become the person you long to be, rooted in the knowledge that your worth and potential are eternally held in the hands of a loving God. 

May this Lent be a season of profound transformation, filled with the warmth of God’s love leading you toward the fullness of who you are meant to be.

And may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with us all, now and forever. Amen.