When you're unable to receive Good News

[Hmm]

If your personal experience is a life of unlove and ungrace, if those are actual words, how can you believe in a God of love and grace?

Do we need to learn to see ourselves through God's eyes where we are lovable rather than through our own eyes where we see only our limitations or the eyes of others who make us feel that we are not good enough?

I like the parable of the Prodigal Son because it shows how both brothers needed to reassess themselves and see themselves more as their father saw them. His father made the younger son who went away and squandered everything feel that he was still lovable and loved and taught the older brother that he shouldn't feel that it was unfair because his father was always with him and everything he had was his.

But it's a big chasm to get over if you feel that you haven't experienced love or grace in the real world. Has anyone been in this situation and found restoration or know anyone who has, and how did this come about?

 

[Psalm 27]

I’m a pessimist, by life experience. So I understand what you’re saying. Whenever I would try to pick myself up, something or somebody would ruin it. I’m learning not to put any trust in people...Jesus didn’t.

When I’m in fellowship with The Lord, then the future looks bright, and I have peace. But only with Him. It’s like I don’t care what happens then. It’s hard for me to stay there though

 

[GOD Shines Forth!]

When I’m in fellowship with The Lord, then the future looks bright, and I have peace. But only with Him. It’s like I don’t care what happens then. It’s hard for me to stay there though

Truth.

 

[Andrewn]

1Co 13:13 But now these three remain—
faith, hope, and love.
And the greatest of these is love.

Faith is to put our trust in God.

Hope is optimism about the future God has planned for us.

Love is to appreciate God's grace and to convey His good will to other people.

The following is my rendering:

Heb 11:1 Now trust is the foundation of optimism, the proof of what is not seen.

So, our hope and optimism are based on trust. And trusting God is based on knowing His loving character as evidenced by His grace.

 

[Hmm]

1Co 13:13 But now these three remain—
faith, hope, and love.
And the greatest of these is love.

Faith is to put our trust in God.

Hope is optimism about the future God has planned for us.

Love is to appreciate God's grace and to convey His good will to other people.

The following is my rendering:

Heb 11:1 Now trust is the foundation of optimism, the proof of what is not seen.

So, our hope and optimism are based on trust. And trusting God is based on knowing His loving character as evidenced by His grace.

That's a wonderful summary and succinct enough to pass on, thanks

 

[CoderGMA]

If your personal experience is a life of unlove and ungrace, if those are actual words, how can you believe in a God of love and grace?

Do we need to learn to see ourselves through God's eyes where we are lovable rather than through our own eyes where we see only our limitations or the eyes of others who make us feel that we are not good enough?

I like the parable of the Prodigal Son because it shows how both brothers needed to reassess themselves and see themselves more as their father saw them. His father made the younger son who went away and squandered everything feel that he was still lovable and loved and taught the older brother that he shouldn't feel that it was unfair because his father was always with him and everything he had was his.

But it's a big chasm to get over if you feel that you haven't experienced love or grace in the real world. Has anyone been in this situation and found restoration or know anyone who has, and how did this come about?

When people who are supposed to treat you as included and loved unconditionally do not suddenly and they instead make life very difficult, it is hard to see God's love shining through.

 

[fhansen]

1Co 13:13 But now these three remain—
faith, hope, and love.
And the greatest of these is love.

Faith is to put our trust in God.

Hope is optimism about the future God has planned for us.

Love is to appreciate God's grace and to convey His good will to other people.

The following is my rendering:

Heb 11:1 Now trust is the foundation of optimism, the proof of what is not seen.

So, our hope and optimism are based on trust. And trusting God is based on knowing His loving character as evidenced by His grace.

Well said. Historically the virtue of hope is taught to actually be trust, even confidence, in God and His promises.

 

[fhansen]

If your personal experience is a life of unlove and ungrace, if those are actual words, how can you believe in a God of love and grace?

Do we need to learn to see ourselves through God's eyes where we are lovable rather than through our own eyes where we see only our limitations or the eyes of others who make us feel that we are not good enough?

I like the parable of the Prodigal Son because it shows how both brothers needed to reassess themselves and see themselves more as their father saw them. His father made the younger son who went away and squandered everything feel that he was still lovable and loved and taught the older brother that he shouldn't feel that it was unfair because his father was always with him and everything he had was his.

But it's a big chasm to get over if you feel that you haven't experienced love or grace in the real world. Has anyone been in this situation and found restoration or know anyone who has, and how did this come about?

It helps me to know that, perfect and innocent as He was, or because He was those things, Jesus was despised and rejected by this world.

 

[Hmm]

It helps me to know that, perfect and innocent as He was, or because He was those things, Jesus was despised and rejected by this world.

Good point!

 

[Hmm]

When people who are supposed to treat you as included and loved unconditionally do not suddenly and they instead make life very difficult, it is hard to see God's love shining through.

I think this is why Christians are given the big responsibility of reflecting God's unconditional love into the world especially towards the poor, the lonely, the prisoner and the prostitute - all the needy and outcast people that Jesus paid special attention to. We're always going to fall short at this but we should still do our best.