Day 15
Principle: Character only comes from receiving the love of God.
Our own hurts often keep us from seeing our hidden worth, which is not to be found in the high points of our life, but rather hidden under the rubble of our greatest pain. Only time, heat, and pressure can produce the most beautiful diamond. So too, as the Master Surgeon changes us. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2Corinthians 5:17, KJV)
Though our struggles may at times seem pointless, the fruit of seeing life from God’s perspective will last forever. The scales of Heaven, measuring everything in terms of eternity, will not miss an ounce of our true value. Though we think there is tragic waste in our lives, if we allow God to heal our hearts, the character being produced will far outweigh the pain suffered.
If you hear nothing else, hear this: character only comes from receiving the love of God. All attempts to change without first knowing how much God loves you will consign you to a life based on performance—what you can do—and not accepting what He has already done on your behalf. If we reject God’s infinite love, we will try in vain to remake ourselves into the image of this fallen world, realizing only too late it was all for nothing. Receiving God’s love will give us all the value we’ll ever need.
Trade the sublime for the mediocre. Fight to see the beauty of God’s love for you, rather than be crushed by the ashes of past disappointment.
- In what ways have you tried to gain God’s love through performance?
- As you look through the lens of Romans 8:35–39, what is most encouraging to you?
Comments