love...possible?

[Tsaxgurl317]

I've been thinking a lot lately. Maybe more than I should be thinking, or maybe finally enough. I've been thinking about how it's possible for God to love me, when not even I love me. If even I can see the vileness in me then how could God possibly overlook it. Ok so logically, or at least my train of thought, directs me to, now you have to love yourself. But how exactly do you go about loving yourself when for so long you've hated every fiber of your being. But I also realized without God I can't love myself. So back to the age old question, how do I find God. I actually went to church this Sunday night and they said God was where I left him. But I can't seem to remember where I left him. I got a few gift certificates to book stores this weekend...so I was wondering if any of you could suggest some good reading. Or any advice, or anything for that matter, I don't really know why I started this thread. So you can even ignore it if you want heh. Take care and may God bless you and yours
whit

 

[Nico]

Whit,
I've thought of all these things before as well. I tried to kill myself one time b/c I thought I was so utterly worthless and vile and that I could not live up to what God meant for me to be and that he must be so unbelievably dissapointed in me....But then someone told me that's the point of God. We'll never be "worthy", but that's exactly why Jesus came and died for us, and that for someone to love someone, even when they don't deserve it is the meaning of unconditional love. I've heard all that before, but it didn't truly strike me till then. It didn't truly strike me until I was faced with my own disgustingness and saw that God loved me in spite of myself.

As for finding God, I find that just asking for Him helps. I think it could be different for everyone, but for example, I had a breakdown today and I was sobbing terribly. I asked God to hold me and He did, or at least, I suddenly felt calm and peacefull. That's just kinda how he chooses to reveal himself to me.

As for reeading. I know nothing about Christian literature and have read nothing in that genre. Sorry. The best I could offer you is the Bible

 

[mxpxchrist_chic]

Hey whit.. if you go to a christian book store look in the fitness section.. *health/fitness* and you should see a book about eating disorders.. i suggest you get that. I don't know what it's caleld though. Love you
Jess

 

[tj179]

I recommend a book written by Joyce Meyer called The battle belongs to the Lord. It will teach you how to praise the God that loves you for who you are, and worship the one who created you. I have read through it twice and want to read it again. It is one of the most inspiring books I have read. Another book I think will help you to grow close to God is Speak to my Heart God written by Kay Arthur.
God bless you and feel free to post anytime.
We are here for you but more important is Jesus really loves you!!
TJ

 

[Psyber freek]

God is crazy. Thats why He loves us. Now let me clarify. God is just so infinitely beyond us that He does things no human would concieve of. I've done lots of stuff that doesn't deserve love, but ya know what? God loves me anyway. And God loves you anyway. Unless you absolutely, positively do not want God's love, there nothing you can do to keep him from loving you. It's just how He is.

The way to find God is to ask Jesus for a personal relationship with him. This means letting Jesus control your life. God doesn't want you to hate yourself, or hurt yourself, he just wants your love - your life.

I've heard good things about books like The Purpose Driven Life, and Messy Spirituallity, though I haven'y read them.

I hope this helps.

 

[fishstix]

God loves us, not because of who we are, but because of who He is. In other words, His love for us is not dependent on us, but on Him. It doesn't matter what we've done, He is able to love each of us and does love each of us because of who He is. In each of our relationships with Him, He is the solid rock, the constant. As far as God looking at us, once we have been forgiven, He separates us from our sins as far as the east is from the west. When He looks at us He doesn't see our sins - those have been covered, but He sees what we have become - the righteousness of God. Even if we don't feel like it; that's what His word says. And if God says something, it must be so.

 

[Deamiter]

TSaxGirl, Others have given you really good advice on how to search for God, so perhaps I can give you advice on how to understand unconditional love. Try it on one of your best and most trusted friends (probably of the same sex, or it gets confusing to both of you, at least the first time). Give them presents, tell them why they're awesome, and tell them why they are beautiful. You need to do it to somebody you really do love unconditionally, but just act it out as well as think it.

Then look at yourself and see what it's like. What it makes you feel, what it makes you think, what it looks like to the rest of the world. Find out what unconditional love would be if you were to experience it.

It won't fix you, but you will be seriously helping somebody else, and I've learned a WHOLE lot in my personal crusade to love my friends! I lived for only that, not fixing anybody, but loving them, for an entire year - now I'm a bit more firmly established in God's Kingdom, but it helped to save my life in a really bad time.

 

[urbanfaerie]

hmm..

well love is a big word.. why don't u start small, and work ur way up to loving urself.

what do u like about urself?

 

[urbanfaerie]

as for books:

Jesus loves me, by calvin miller

you know that song.. "Jesus loves me! This I know, for the Bible tells me so; Little ones to Him belong; They are weak, but He is strong."

it seeks truth in the song we all grew up singing, but didnt quite understand. this particular book has helped me, tremendously.

 

[Tsaxgurl317]

hmmm....what I like about myself....I really can't think of anything...ummm...I think I'm a semi-friendly person....i dunno.....Thanks a lot for the book suggestions, I'll check them out!

 

[childofgrace]

Hey Whit:

I can't think of one reason why God loves you or me or anybody else for that matter except for the fact that He created us and He loves his creation. We are all vile in God's sight because He is that holy and we are that sinful. Yet despite our vileness God loves us simply because it is His nature. The wonder of God is that we can do nothing that will make Him stop loving us.

When we trust Christ and become a Christian it doesn't change God's love for us one bit. God loves those who haven't trusted Christ just as much as He loves those who have. Christians have a personal relationship with God through Christ and therefore can experience God's love in a deeper way but the degree of God's love is the same.

Rather than suggest any books I suggest you read your Bible and focus on looking at the the men and women that failed God in various ways and yet still were showered wtih his love. Adam, Moses, Elijah, David, Job, Samson, Jonah, Peter, Paul all failed God and were vile in some way yet God loved them all the same.

Kirk