Does anyone else struggle with God's love?

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WildCatholic

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For me, I feel like God’s love isn’t that special. Sure I know in my mind and have been told since I was young and in Catholic School that’ God loves us more than anything in the world. Great, but for me it doesn’t feel that special.
Think about God loves Satan as much as he loves all of the Saints even though Satan doesn’t do anything for God at all. To me that seems almost unfair. It feels like what is the big deal with God’s love if he loves everyone the same no matter what they’ve done. If that’s the case then why live a good life? Yes I know there is hell but at the same time it feels like that God’s love doesn’t matter in this world where people who don’t even care about God succeed.

I feel sometimes like I’ve followed God but have got nothing in return. I know this is selfish and wrong but at the same time it feels like God doesn’t care and just loves, but that love isn’t really that special because he loves everyone and everything.
 
WildCatholic said:
For me, I feel like God’s love isn’t that special. Sure I know in my mind and have been told since I was young and in Catholic School that’ God loves us more than anything in the world. Great, but for me it doesn’t feel that special.
Think about God loves Satan as much as he loves all of the Saints even though Satan doesn’t do anything for God at all. To me that seems almost unfair. It feels like what is the big deal with God’s love if he loves everyone the same no matter what they’ve done. If that’s the case then why live a good life? Yes I know there is hell but at the same time it feels like that God’s love doesn’t matter in this world where people who don’t even care about God succeed.

I feel sometimes like I’ve followed God but have got nothing in return. I know this is selfish and wrong but at the same time it feels like God doesn’t care and just loves, but that love isn’t really that special because he loves everyone and everything.
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“The LORD tests the righteous, but his soul hates the wicked” Psalm 11:5

“Six things there are, which the Lord hateth, and the seventh his soul detesteth: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that deviseth wicked plots, feet that are swift to run into mischief, A deceitful witness that uttereth lies, and him that soweth discord among brethren.”- Proverbs 6:16-19

Those who do not reciprocate Gods love are punished eternally with fire, thirst, tortures etc.
alleluiaaudiobooks.com/catholic-audibook-the-torments-of-hell/

Consider Noah and his family, God loved Noah but he destroyed the wicked on the earth, God blesses those who are good and love Him and his law, but to the wicked he destroys and grants them an evil death and and even worst eternal punishment.

Think about Noah, God destroyed the whole world, as you can see Gods love is something important and something to be cherished.
 
Thinking back, the times I have struggled with God’s love have been when I either was not open to His love or was angry. When I am knocked to the ground feeling a worthless waste of space, sometimes it takes a long time to realise and accept that God does not think of me in the same way.

Anger is another issue. When I get angry, I struggle to separate the sinner from the sin and I turn into a raging irrational Pharisee. When I recall the dreadful moments when I realise I have sinned big time, it has been almost unbearable. Then I think on others who lead very sinful lives and know that when they turn to God, their horror, remorse and suffering will be so much greater. Yet, I still pray and hope that they do repent and be reconciled with God, because most do not really understand what they do. I also recall how God drew me Home and the loving welcome I received from others who had never strayed. They kept spaces in their hearts and pews for the sheep that had been found.

I do not know why you believe that God has not rewarded you, all I know is that often His rewards are not tangible, may not be in this world or that we do not recognise them. I pray that God will help you to see that He does love and bless you.
 
I feel Gods love most when I’ve helped someone or someone has helped me, maybe prayed for me… It can bring tears to my eyes. Rather than force the feeling of Gods love, maybe recognize in more in the times and places of your life with the people that you love and care for. Write letters to people just because you love them, and never forget that it is in the darkest days that we might feel Gods love the most because we want more of God to help us through it and God is forever faithful to us even when we don’t see that God is there He is ready to be there for us to guide us through. Trust that and may you find the peace and Joy that God gives today! Im’ ramblin on a bit here but I hope this helps! Karen
 
WildCatholic said:
For me, I feel like God’s love isn’t that special. Sure I know in my mind and have been told since I was young and in Catholic School that’ God loves us more than anything in the world. Great, but for me it doesn’t feel that special.
Think about God loves Satan as much as he loves all of the Saints even though Satan doesn’t do anything for God at all. To me that seems almost unfair. It feels like what is the big deal with God’s love if he loves everyone the same no matter what they’ve done. If that’s the case then why live a good life? Yes I know there is hell but at the same time it feels like that God’s love doesn’t matter in this world where people who don’t even care about God succeed.

I feel sometimes like I’ve followed God but have got nothing in return. I know this is selfish and wrong but at the same time it feels like God doesn’t care and just loves, but that love isn’t really that special because he loves everyone and everything.
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I constantly get this feeling, too. I mean, come on; there are literally hundreds of billions of being with immortal souls, and he loves them all. I don’t get how that makes any separate being special in themselves…
 
Are you a father? Do you have a father? You know how a father loves each of his many children equally but differently? That is what Our Father “feels” for us. We are his many children, but He can love each infinitely!
 
WildCatholic said:
For me, I feel like God’s love isn’t that special. Sure I know in my mind and have been told since I was young and in Catholic School that’ God loves us more than anything in the world. Great, but for me it doesn’t feel that special.
Think about God loves Satan as much as he loves all of the Saints even though Satan doesn’t do anything for God at all. To me that seems almost unfair. It feels like what is the big deal with God’s love if he loves everyone the same no matter what they’ve done. If that’s the case then why live a good life? Yes I know there is hell but at the same time it feels like that God’s love doesn’t matter in this world where people who don’t even care about God succeed.

I feel sometimes like I’ve followed God but have got nothing in return. I know this is selfish and wrong but at the same time it feels like God doesn’t care and just loves, but that love isn’t really that special because he loves everyone and everything.
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You write that God’s love does’t feel “special”, to my understanding because He loves everyone the same, no matter what. I think that here you have identified the problem without realizing it. First of all, love is not a feeling, it’s a real relationship - like you’d have with anyone. What makes it special, is not who God’s love is given to, but*** who it comes from***.

The great God who made the towering mountains and the vast expanse of space, bends down to kiss your heart. What else is there to “get” out of this magnificent love? Why wouldn’t you want everyone to experience that love so that they might have a chance - just like you - of enjoying it for all eternity?

Real love is not something you can earn or deserve - *** it’s free or it’s not love***. Love that comes from God is not something that can be contained or selectively applied. It’s like the wind, the sea, the air…you can only enjoy it, you can’t grasp it and own it just for yourself or the people you approve of.

Now that you’ve explained how you feel, be still and listen for God’s answer in your life.
 
Nanotwerp said:
I constantly get this feeling, too. I mean, come on; there are literally hundreds of billions of being with immortal souls, and he loves them all. I don’t get how that makes any separate being special in themselves…
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God loves each one of us individually. He doesn’t love a “bunch” of people as though they were a sack of marbles.

You are precious in his sight, and were in His mind before the earth was created. It takes faith, hope, love, prayer and sacraments to be open and aware of His love individually for you.
 
seekerz said:
The great God who made the towering mountains and the vast expanse of space, bends down to kiss your heart. What else is there to “get” out of this magnificent love? Why wouldn’t you want everyone to experience that love so that they might have a chance - just like you - of enjoying it for all eternity?
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Because everyone already gets that love, so what’s the big deal. The only problem I see is that people reject God. However God still loves them. Now yes sure it is great when people reconcile and return to God and the church, but how many people actually have that experience. Sadly most people will probably reject God and end up in hell. I think it was St Faustina in her vision of hell who said the souls entering it were like snowflakes falling. Yet God loves these people just as much as the righteous and in my mind I guess I wonder why God would even waste the energy to love someone who doesn’t even care about you?
 
domNoah said:
Consider Noah and his family, God loved Noah but he destroyed the wicked on the earth, God blesses those who are good and love Him and his law, but to the wicked he destroys and grants them an evil death and and even worst eternal punishment.

Think about Noah, God destroyed the whole world, as you can see Gods love is something important and something to be cherished.
Click to expand...
This is not up-to-date Christian teaching and is not what people need to hear.

God destroys sin with His wise and patient love and correction. God gave the people a choice in the OT and they did not convert, in various stories, so God did not kill them, they chose to destroy themselves, through their unwillingness to avoid death by stopping their sinful behaviour.
 
seekerz said:
You write that God’s love does’t feel “special”, to my understanding because He loves everyone the same, no matter what. I think that here you have identified the problem without realizing it. First of all, love is not a feeling, it’s a real relationship - like you’d have with anyone. What makes it special, is not who God’s love is given to, but*** who it comes from***.

The great God who made the towering mountains and the vast expanse of space, bends down to kiss your heart. What else is there to “get” out of this magnificent love? Why wouldn’t you want everyone to experience that love so that they might have a chance - just like you - of enjoying it for all eternity?

Real love is not something you can earn or deserve - *** it’s free or it’s not love***. Love that comes from God is not something that can be contained or selectively applied. It’s like the wind, the sea, the air…you can only enjoy it, you can’t grasp it and own it just for yourself or the people you approve of.

Now that you’ve explained how you feel, be still and listen for God’s answer in your life.
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I like this post a lot - its not about feelings.

I believe God is literally in love with His creation - He is in love with all of us, if only we knew! I really like your words: ‘kiss your heart’…wow! I don’t think that can be topped. 🙂

To the OP: if God was about worldly success and competition, He would not be God but something far less, because His appreciation - not love - would discount all the people who don’t have the same opportunities as those born with money, good education, a brain with plenty of cells fully activated, the well, the extroverts, those with fair length of life, those with solid upbringing, the super-fit, the ‘good’-looking…

…this is why it is better, if we are going to try to be successful, to be successful in being kind and forgiving, and if we have to compete, compete for the grace to be Saintly against the standards set by the world that doesn’t. In fact, God rewards humility and being humble - almost an opposite to worldly success. That is severely and extremely sweet natured. His gentleness is universally unrivalled.

Also, if we always knew how much God loved us, then how would we grow in faith and trust?
 
…His abounding love for us is recklessly giving, and His abundant mercy is recklessly forgiving. (Inspired by a quote commenting on our freewill as being a lavish gift from God).

🙂
 
WildCatholic said:
For me, I feel like God’s love isn’t that special. Sure I know in my mind and have been told since I was young and in Catholic School that’ God loves us more than anything in the world. Great, but for me it doesn’t feel that special.
Think about God loves Satan as much as he loves all of the Saints even though Satan doesn’t do anything for God at all. To me that seems almost unfair. It feels like what is the big deal with God’s love if he loves everyone the same no matter what they’ve done. If that’s the case then why live a good life? Yes I know there is hell but at the same time it feels like that God’s love doesn’t matter in this world where people who don’t even care about God succeed.

I feel sometimes like I’ve followed God but have got nothing in return. I know this is selfish and wrong but at the same time it feels like God doesn’t care and just loves, but that love isn’t really that special because he loves everyone and everything.
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My explanation for when people say they don’t “feel” God - or His love or presence or whatever is that it is simply because you are so use to it.
It’s like this…On a cold day we heat our house. We make it a nice comfortable temperature. Yet if we are inside for a while we can actually start to feel “chilly”, even though the temperature hasn’t changed more than a couple of degrees. It is because we are use to the temperature. If we were to go outside for even a few minutes and come back in…the “chilly” house would suddenly feel all cozy warm again.
You don’t “feel” like God’s Love is special because it isn’t. For those of His Church, it is quite normal.

As for this:
It feels like what is the big deal with God’s love if he loves everyone the same no matter what they’ve done. If that’s the case then why live a good life?
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We live a good life, not because God loves us, but because we Love God and because we Love Him, we seek to please Him.
On another level, we live a good life (that is we love God and Love neighbor) in humility and joy because this trains us up to reach out to God and His mercy at the point of death. This assures us of not falling into the pit.
Those who live selfish and sinful lives are training themselves to do just the opposite. Thus, at the point of death, instead of reaching out to the Loving God, they will shrink from Him and fall into the pit.
Yes I know there is hell but at the same time it feels like that God’s love doesn’t matter in this world where people who don’t even care about God succeed.
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Don’t be fooled by what some call “success”. Yes it looks attractive but the success of the world is temporary and illusory.

In your final comment though you get it right. God just Loves. This is because God IS Love and He who Loves knows God (1 John 4:7-8)

Peace
James
 
WildCatholic said:
Because everyone already gets that love, so what’s the big deal. The only problem I see is that people reject God. However God still loves them. Now yes sure it is great when people reconcile and return to God and the church, but how many people actually have that experience. Sadly most people will probably reject God and end up in hell. I think it was St Faustina in her vision of hell who said the souls entering it were like snowflakes falling. Yet God loves these people just as much as the righteous and in my mind I guess I wonder why God would even waste the energy to love someone who doesn’t even care about you?
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I guess I have to wonder why one would think it a waste of time to love those who do not Love you? Jesus tells us to do this in Mt 5
43"You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. 46For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
(Bolding mine)
As I said in my previous post. God IS Love…He cannot act against that which He IS…

The evil one is trying to separate you from your Father by planting these thoughts. Resist them. Love is the way - the shortcut to Jesus arms and heart. This is the essence of St Therese’s “little Way”.

Peace
James
 
friardchips said:
This is not up-to-date Christian teaching and is not what people need to hear.

God destroys sin with His wise and patient love and correction. God gave the people a choice in the OT and they did not convert, in various stories, so God did not kill them, they chose to destroy themselves, through their unwillingness to avoid death by stopping their sinful behaviour.
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I disagree

“Let us not conclude that God makes use of other punishments to-day (than of old) because we do not see His direct action. The principal difference between the punishments inflicted by God on the Israelites and on Christians, is that the former were visible, the latter invisible that is, we do not perceive these evils to-day as the chastisements of God, because God Himself or His chosen prophets no longer tell us this explicitly; but the effects of God s anger are no less real, and are even more terrible, seeing that they are proportioned to the greatness of the privileges which we have abused.” Blessed Cardinal Newman

alleluiaaudiobooks.com/reparation-to-the-sacred-heart-of-jesus-part-6-christians-and-reparation/
 
To the OP:

Matthew 28-30 - 'The Gentle Mastery of Christ: “Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.”

Try going to God in prayer with your trouble and keep knocking. God bless. 🙂
 
WildCatholic said:
Because everyone already gets that love, so what’s the big deal.
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The BIG deal is that God loves you. If you can only value that based on what other people “get”, then it seems to me you need to ask deeper questions, like “What is love” and “Why do I need to have something which others don’t have to feel good about it?”. Would you feel the same way if your parents loved all their kids equally despite their behavior? If the answer is yes, you need to dig deeper into the question of what love really is.
The only problem I see is that people reject God. However God still loves them. Now yes sure it is great when people reconcile and return to God and the church, but how many people actually have that experience. Sadly most people will probably reject God and end up in hell. I think it was St Faustina in her vision of hell who said the souls entering it were like snowflakes falling. Yet God loves these people just as much as the righteous and in my mind I guess I wonder why God would even waste the energy to love someone who doesn’t even care about you?
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Why is God’s relationship with others a problem for you? Who of us gives God orders about who to love? He wants to love 10 billion people - that’s HIS choice - nothing for you to lose sleep over. Love does not go to ‘the most deserving’ because none of us can ever deserve God’s love - ever. Doesn’t matter how good (or better than others) we think we behave, our righteousness still remains no more than “filthy rags” and we ‘deserve’ God’s love no more than the worst sinner we can call to mind.
 
Wishes in the Love of our Lord Jesus Christ.

What to say? Would not it be a great and great blessing to see and feel the love of God in everything in and around.
Why do not I ask (pray to) God Himself to give me whatever is necessary to see and feel His Love? I would beg you to turn your question to a prayer and ask our God for the same. God already heard it here and will give you the necessary things.

There are saints who just could not hold the joy of God’s Love in their heart and soul.
There are good people who just by looking at a tree felt the bountiful love of God right away. Death or the worldly state at any point does not matter much at all if we are in Love with God.

Love sometimes bursts. It needs counter love not to burst.
If you keep on loving someone and if they keep on not seeing and so forsaking you, and if you cannot stop loving that someone because you are just Love itself, there can be a point it bursts because of the nature of Love.
Now if the person so loved gets affected by the painful outburst of Love, it is not what is desired by the Lover, but the Love itself.

It is ok if we are engulfed with so much of worldly things so that we could not see it.
God asked us to ask Him for everything. We are asking for a thing, which is to understand the love of God, which is a very good thing.
Please let us ask Him because He wants us to ask. We would not be disappointed at all.

If they are going to be useful in any manner…
Here are some set of quotations of saints for Love and Prayer in one place…
Prayer quotations
Love quotations

🙂
 
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