It really gets to me, when people try to assume they know how God thinks of them - because we only have a limited mind. God doesn't love like we love, nor forgives like we forgive. God IS love, and St Paul writes "when we remain faithless, He is faithful - He cannot deny Himself" 2 Tim 2:13. If someone hasn't forgiven you, or hates you, or thinks you're a lost cause - DO NOT translate this to how God thinks! Like I mentioned in my last post, for you to feel that God thinks you are the most important person in the world, you have to believe it first, then you'll feel it!
Don't believe me? St Macarius the great, of the early 4th century found this out! Truly believing this helped him lead a great life which he was able to feel the love of God and never lose hope, no matter what situation around him or whatever people said to him. St Macarius writes, in Homily 15,
"See how great are the heavens and the earth, the sun and the moon.
But the Lord was not pleased to find His rest in them, but in humanity alone.
Man, therefore, is of greater value than all other creatures, and perhaps
I will not hesitate to say, not only visible creatures, but also those
invisible namely, the ministering spirits. For it was not of Michael or Gabriel the archangels that God said 'let Us make man in Our image', but concerning the spiritual makeup of the human"
Oh yes he did! He just said we are held higher than angels! He is reminding us how much God loves us and puts us on a pedestal, no matter what the world thinks of us. "If God is for us, who can be against us!?" Rom 8:31. St Paul continues to emphasize that NOTHING can separate us from the love of God.
We've all been in our pit and felt down and unwanted and it seems like nothing is going our way - trust in God! Where would the resurrection of Christ be, if there were no suffering on the cross? We commonly tend to focus on the cross and suffering in our own life, but neglect to see past it to the glorious resurrection that awaits us!
God is like no one else! Again, God = Love. Your friends may leave you, your parents may think poorly of you, strangers may ridicule you - but please always remember that God holds you above all else, and to Him you are not just one in a zillion, you are THE ONE in a zillion.
Please feel free to contact me privately if you are struggling with this, or comment to encourage others.
love it! fits perfect for me lately :)
ReplyDeleteTalked with a severely depressed, preganant patient today who would've really benefited from this post. Please keep her in your prayers. I think we all need this reminder. You're very right that so often we dwell on the cross and forget the resurrection. The Church in its wisdom even knew this and gave us 50 days after Easter to meditate on it, and yet still, we miss its victory. I hope this Holy 50's different!
ReplyDeleteYes! so true.. we must not take our eyes off the prize, to pull us through these rough times! A good friend, Monica Kalleeny, reminded me that St Augustine says, "God loves each of us, as if there were only one of us"
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