I wrote a short blog post a couple months ago for my friends and family with the fresh phrase, "Living like you are loved", in mind. My best friend texted me and told me that I needed to stop focusing on love that I am lacking, and start magnifying the massive love that has always been here and will always be here.
I still have a hard time comprehending this. I didn't share it at the time, but when he told me this, I broke down. I cried, and I felt incomplete. They were words of encouragement, but it felt like a slap in the face. It was the realization that I was acting like a Christian who knew all that Jesus had done for her, but I really didn't.
I was walking through life with the belief that if my circumstances did not show that I was loved, it meant that I wasn't. I pretended that I didn't feel empty, and I put on the facade that everything was going fantastic. The Instagram pictures proved to show a teenage girl that had amazing friends and an amazing life.
I am here again, writing this article, because I don't think I was completely honest. I think I was pretending to know what this phrase "Living Loved" meant. After months of making this phrase my battle cry, I think I finally know.
I am not a perfect human and neither are the people I expect to be perfect. I had unrealistic expectations for how my friends should be, how my life should be lived, and how a Christian should present themselves. When in reality, there is only one person that can give you what you want.
There is an amazing day in history when the only perfect, flawless human to walk the Earth, carried a cross and said, "Let's trade places."
He took the place of humiliation, loneliness, despair, emptiness and sadness. In return, He gave me and you joy, triumph, a Healer, security, forgiveness and most importantly, unfailing love. His love will never change, and it will never go away. His is the only love that is available all the time. His is the only love that will ensure that storms don't last forever and that fires burn out. His is the only love that will never forget to make you feel worthy. His is the only love that will not say, "This is the last time I am putting you back together."
So, what does it really mean to live loved?
Jesus lived this daring life of living like he was loved when he was hated by so many people. But Jesus knew that this great big God was loving him with an abundant love. There was no hate too big for his love.
I believe we can live like Jesus and live with God's love every step of the way.
"When you pass through waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through rivers, they will not sweep over you." Isaiah 43:2.
