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You Are Loved More Deeply Than You Realize
Before the apostle Paul came to faith in Christ, he persecuted Christians. But after coming to faith in Christ, he saw the wrong of his actions and declared that he wasn’t the same person he once was.
I like the way Paul described his transformation: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).
When Paul referred to himself as being “crucified with Christ,” he was making clear that the old Paul was dead. Paul’s entire outlook was transformed, and the hope that he now possessed was something he would ultimately give his life for in order to share that hope with others.
I believe what motivated Paul’s transformation was realizing the unconditional love of Christ. During an earlier season of Paul’s life, he mistakenly believed he had to earn God’s love. Eventually, his heart was convinced that God’s love had been demonstrated to him freely through Jesus, who died in his place. Paul was well aware of the life he’d once led and the mistakes he’d committed, but he was also awakened to the reality that he was loved in a deeper way than he’d once realized.
Is this something you remind yourself about? Do you tell yourself that you’re deeply loved? Or, like Paul, do you mistakenly believe you have to earn God’s love?
You are loved more deeply than you realize. Allow yourself to start embracing this truth, and your heart will be refreshed. When you have your next less-than-perfect day, remind yourself of the nature of Christ’s love.
When you start believing the lie that you are unloved or unlovable, take a moment to contemplate why Christ endured the cross on your behalf. He didn’t just tell you He loved you; He demonstrated it in dramatic fashion.
Over the next twenty-four hours, there are going to be all kinds of messages flashing through your mind. Some will align with the teaching of God’s Word, and some will not. Confront the lies with the overwhelming truth of God’s unconditional love for you.
Today I will remember that in Christ I am loved more deeply than I realize.
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About this Plan
Many of us speak words of defeat, telling ourselves things that we would never say to someone else. This week, we’re going to reshape those messages in the light of God’s Word. At the end of each day’s reading is a challenge, which is your opportunity to change the narrative of your self-talk and listen to what God thinks of you instead.
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