God's Constancy

My devotional from a few days ago really struck me. The first sentence read, "This is the time in your life when you must learn to let go." I feel that this statement has been both a blessing and a curse over the last three years. "Letting go" has never really been one of my strongest suits, as I have struggled pretty seriously over a broken heart more than once. Letting go has never come easily, since I am, by nature, a person who seeks reconciliation and peace. Letting go always seems like a defeat, an end to something with no closure, no peace. Letting go seems like dying.

But I have learned that in order to live and love again, I need to let go. A very wise professor/mentor of mine once told me that in order to honor my love for the boy who no longer loved me, I needed to let him go. I needed to let him live his own life while respecting myself enough to live mine. It was one of the most powerful things that anyone has ever said to me, and I hold it close to my heart today.

The devotional continues to say: "You can feel secure, even in the midst of cataclysmic changes, through awareness of My continual Presence. The One who never leaves you is the same One who never changes. I am the same yesterday, today, and forever. As you release more and more things into My care, remember that I never let go of your hand. Herein lies your security, which no one and no circumstance can take from you."

Now, I'm not here to take credit for someone else's musings, but that is a beautiful idea. We need to let go of past hurts, past brokenness, and past blame...but God never lets go of us! Even if we have hurt God, even if we have refused a relationship with God, God never lets us go. One of my favorite praise songs from camp is "You Never Let Go." It's simple, but powerful. It reiterates for us how deeply God's love runs. His love can withstand any grievance and any offense...and then God loves us MORE. It's remarkable.

During this season of Lent, I am trying to meditate on God's love. I'm not much for fatalism, or for dwelling too much of Christ's passion (I know, what a bad Catholic.) But I am trying more these days to focus on Christ's sacrifice. I'm still not sure where I stand on my atonement theology, and if Jesus really was sent down to earth as a Plan B of sorts (that will be for another post...) But I am sure one of thing: regardless of human action, God's love for us never fades. Whether we are perfect disciples who all bring incredible things to the human experience, or whether we are the ones whom society has forgotten...God's love never changes. My own love for myself changes on a daily basis, but it's good to know that God isn't that insecure or fickle.

For I am the LORD your God
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you. - Isaiah 41:13

Awesome. Peace.