Partially loved

Something incredibly significant happened in Genesis 3. We can’t overstate the consequences of our fall. Each of us is now tainted because of our disobedience and the reality that we are ‘born sinful.’

Most of us would say that God loves us. Would you say God fully loves you? Are we fully lovable? Most of us would say, NO, BECAUSE our fall brought shame. We are ashamed of ourselves. We are not fully lovable. We can no longer be fully loved. We are so sure of this truth that we hide. We have become experts at hiding the truth inside for fear that if the truth is revealed, we will be loved even less than we are now. So we hide. We pretend. We cover up. We work incredibly hard to create an (false) image of ourselves that we believe is lovable.

And we settle for a love that really isn’t love. We settle for fleeting happiness, pleasure, and embrace even more fully a commitment to self-centeredness (which led to the fall in the first place). We center our lives on ourselves. We become the idol we worship, the image that matters, the primary focus of our attention.

Why? Because deep down inside, we no longer believe we can be loved. So we try and get what we can. When I look good, I get attention and affirmation, I’ll take that. When I strive to get what I want, I get what I want; I’ll take that. When I portray myself as a victim, I get attention and don’t have to take responsibility for myself; I’ll take that.

We get what we can because we no longer believe we can find what we need.

What does this stir up in you? Where do you go from here? How would you finish this post?