Some people struggle to live the Christian life for their entire lives. It’s an uphill climb. Others enjoy the adventure and seem to overcome every obstacle. What’s the difference? Almost always it’s their perception of God’s love. Getting a revelation of God’s love for you—not in general, but for you specifically—is vitally important.
Why? Because context matters when you read his word, listen for his voice, worship him, live out your calling, and more. If you don’t have that clear revelation of love—if you mistrust his intentions toward you, or think he’ll be a hard master when you fail, or suspect that he’s always going to tell you to eat your vegetables but never offer dessert (spiritually speaking)—then you’ll misunderstand some things. Loving God and loving others will be a struggle. Every setback will feel like correction or discipline. You’ll interpret every ambiguous word from him in the more negative way. Your faith will become drudgery or even impossible to live up to.
Just as tone of voice matters in a human relationship, so does your vision of his love matter in your spiritual relationship. The filter of love, the lens through which you see him, makes an enormous difference.
There’s no way to get a revelation of his love for you—to see, in your inner spirit, the beaming smile on his face when he looks at you—by trying. All you can do is ask and keep asking. Tell him how desperately you need to see his smile. He already knows you do; he’s ready to give it. Ask for a revelation of love and, when he gives it, live in it fully. It colors everything.
