I started this series quite a while back…read Remain in My Love and then part two Nothing Can Separate
Alright then..so what do I DO when I can’t feel His Love??
I’m so glad you asked!!
38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[p] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
He loves you just that much!
Like I said in the other posts, feelings can be very powerful. Sometimes, your feelings can be your body’s warning system that something is wrong, or your feelings trigger some unresolved issues. Left unchecked, your emotions can drag you down into a pit where it seems nothing will ever get better. That’s where your feelings can leave you assuming God is no where around.
Here are a few ideas when you feel like you are separated from God’s love:
Check your physical well-being
It may be simple but it’s true. Are you hungry? Thirsty? Exhausted? That time of the month? Our physical condition has a major impact on how we react to situations and how our feelings can flare up. I’ve had to learn this through the years to think about what’s going on with me physically when I’m feeling angry or irritable. Let’s just say I’ve had a few instances of me being hangry (hungry + angry) and it turning into “Look out! Mom has gone def-con 5!” Or I’d be annoyed at the entire world and would have to stop and think “What time of the month is it?”.
Check what’s playing on your mental play-list
Do you get a mental soundtrack playing in your head of all the negative things about you? “You’re fat. You’re worthless. You’ll never be good enough. You messed up again.” That’s the enemy taking your tried and true weaknesses and throwing them in your face. If you’re not careful, then you agree with him. “Yep, God could never love me, I’ve messed up again.”
Bring your feelings before God
God created us to feel emotions. Left unchecked and unsupervised, those emotions can wreak havoc like a bunch of Gremlins fed after midnight!! HA! Remember that movie!! On the other hand, emotions carefully processed and kept in the proper order can be an amazing tool to bring revelation, maturity, and healing into your life as a Christ-follower. Bring your feelings before God. Talk with Him honestly about what you are feeling and why. Ask for wisdom and revelation. When experiences from your past,or hurts, or fears come to mind, ask God for healing or forgiveness as needed to resolve the situation. Ask for strength and the ability to extend love and forgiveness to the ones who caused pain. No, this isn’t easy. It’s a process that may take a while. That’s ok. Journaling, coloring, exercising…these activities can help you through the process.
Combat your feelings with the Truth
Here’s where Scripture is really important when you feel like God doesn’t love you. That’s why the Romans 8 passage is so amazing. No matter the circumstance around you or the evil oppressing you making you feel angry, sad, worthless, or fearful. None of it has the power to separate you from His Love! No matter how you feel, His Love for you doesn’t change. Feelings may change. Circumstances may change. But His Love doesn’t change! It takes an act of the will to say, “Even though I’m feeling ______, God’s Word says nothing can separate me from His Love”. Pray the verses. Memorize the verses. Ask God to help you believe the verses. This practice will take discipline, but it’s worth it.
It’s OK to get some help
Many of us didn’t develop the emotional skills needed to combat life’s hardship. Many more have experienced such trauma, we carry significant emotional damage. Sometimes, we need more help that just prayer and journaling. We need a trained professional to help unpack the pain and teach the skills we lack to process and mature. If you need a counselor or psychologist, there is no shame in it. It’s a very brave thing to pursue. If nothing else, a trusted, wise friend is a must!!!
More than anything else, I pray you grasp that His Love for you is as high as the heavens. Nothing in all of creation can tear you apart from His Great Love. Nothing can transform you like His Love. If you are struggling with accepting it, believing it, or living it, I pray you’ll experience a revelation of His Love.
~Amy