There’s a song by Bethel Music that’s been playing in a constant loop in my head. I heard it for the first time a couple months ago as I was driving around running errands. The words shot to my heart and before I knew it, I was frozen in the Tom Thumb parking lot. Tears. Lots of tears.
The song is about the love of God, reminding us that He does not give His heart in pieces. Read these lyrics:
Your love’s not fractured
It’s not a troubled mind
It isn’t anxious
It’s not the restless kind
Your love’s not passive
It’s never disengaged
It’s always present
It hangs on every word we say
Love keeps its promises
It keeps its word
It honors what’s sacred
‘Cause its vows are good
Your love’s not broken
It’s not insecure
Your love’s not selfish
Your love is pure
You don’t give Your heart in pieces…
These powerful lyrics initiated a long train of thought that has been stirring in my heart.
While we know God’s love is far greater than our own, do we believe that? I mean, do we truly believe it in the depths of our soul that guides us every day? We can be tempted to look at our lives, the mistakes we’ve made and the sins we’ve committed, and fall prey to the idea that we must do better to earn God’s love for us.
But here’s the thing, God’s love does not function like man’s love. His love is nothing like the parent who left you as a child, the spouse who was unfaithful to you, the friend who betrayed you, or the pastor who hurt you. His love is not like your love. His love is not fractured, selfish, or disengaged. His love hangs on every word you say and He hears you.
He hears you crying at night before bed, and He knows the fear that’s holding you back from opening your heart up to your spouse. God sees the insecurity and anxiety you carry. He has witnessed every single sin you have committed against Him and His children, and His arms are open still. He hears you.
It can be hard to digest this truth completely, especially when our experience of love on this earth has tarnished and skewed the meaning. We can robotically enter into an exhausting song and dance performance for God, desperate to be seen as “good enough” without even realizing that it all points back to the fact that we have yet to understand this:
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:4-5
Read this: Letting go of the mistakes of your past
We have to remember that His thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways. The way He sees love, grace, and forgiveness is so drastically different than what the world has taught us (Isaiah 55:8-9). We often try to fit God into worldly standards and make the Bible fit into what we believe is right and good. But why? His ways are so much better. He literally created this whole thing called life.
I encourage you to listen to this song and meditate on the words. I also encourage you to transform the way you perceive God’s idea of you by reading about Him in scripture. Ask for His wisdom to help you seek His face, His character, and His definition of love and compassion. We are called to make disciples of all men, but we must first know and believe the gospel. The good news that even now, no matter what state your life is in or the sin you’re currently walking in, He LOVES you. And He wants you back.
That is the greatest news I’ve ever heard and I want everyone to know about it. Because knowing this truth and accepting His love will completely change everything in your life.
God does not give His heart in pieces. Will you receive His love today?
Caitlin Jordan is the assistant editor for TheCourage. While she loves small towns and the great outdoors, she lives with her husband, Ryan, in the big city of Dallas, Texas. She is passionate about the importance of transparency and loving those that disagree with Christian beliefs. You can follow her on Facebook and Twitter.
