FROM THE DAWGHOUSE…
God Loves You More Than You Think
Over the years, I’ve lost count of how many people have said something like this to me:
“Joe, I think my problem is I just don’t love God enough.”
And my answer is always the same: “No, that’s not your problem. Your problem is you don’t understand how much God loves you.” Because here’s the truth. When you truly understand the depth of God’s love for you, loving Him back becomes almost effortless. You can’t help it. It’s a response that overflows from knowing you’re loved. Really, deeply, unconditionally loved.
We’ve all heard the phrase, “God loves you.” Maybe you’ve even said it to others. But there’s a difference between hearing it and feeling it. When you finally experience God’s love in a real and personal way, it changes you.
God’s love doesn’t fluctuate.
He doesn’t love you more on your “good” days and less on your “bad” ones.
He doesn’t love you more when you’re faithful in prayer and less when you’ve been distant.
He doesn’t love you more when you feel Him and less when He feels far away.
His love for you isn’t based on who you are. It’s based entirely on who He is. It’s not grounded in what you do. It’s grounded in what Christ already did.
Think about the cross.
Picture Jesus, arms stretched wide, nail-pierced hands, blood flowing down. And hear Him saying to you personally: “I love you this much. I love you so much it hurts. I would rather die than live without you.” That’s not poetry, that’s the gospel. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”.
God’s love is relentless. You can’t make Him stop loving you. You can try, but you’ll fail. Because His love isn’t based on your performance. It’s rooted in His very character. And God doesn’t change. When you begin to grasp that, something happens. Fear loses its grip. Shame begins to dissolve. The exhausting pressure to “earn” God’s approval disappears.
You start to live differently, not to get His love, but because you already have it.
You begin to obey not out of fear, but out of joy.
You start seeing yourself the way He sees you – redeemed, valuable, cherished.
That’s the power of God’s love. It sets you free.
So, the next time you think, “I just don’t love God enough,” stop. That’s not where the focus should be. Instead, let God convince you, through His Word, through prayer, through the cross, just how much He loves you.
And when that truth sinks deep into your heart, you won’t have to try harder to love Him. You’ll find that love pouring out of you naturally.
Because the God who made you, knows you, and died for you…still loves you.
Always has. Always will.
Joe Bouch
