How does God love us?

[Monica4316]

Hello

I was just wondering if someone could help me understand something about God. I’ve been Catholic since 2009… and in the beginning, I sometimes felt God’s love during prayer or after receiving the Sacraments. I saw this as a way He encouraged me - I always feel weak spiritually and doubt easily. I came to understand His love as something very personal, - not an abstract thing, like “God loves His creation in general” - but also: God knows me, loves me. (and everyone). But over the past few months, I’ve been going through some spiritual trials, and I’ve almost forgotten what this is like. I do believe in His love, but I’ve felt mostly desolation and dryness in prayer. I’ve also been trying to discern His will for me about something, which has been difficult. And I often feel caught up in my sins and need Confession. So today… I was thinking about some friends of mine who are either married, or engaged, or in relationships. I’m single and last year I was discerning religious life (now I’m just trying to figure out these trials that I mentioned). And all of a sudden, although I’m happy for them, I also felt sadness and loneliness because I felt like these people have someone who loves them so personally, and I do not. In the past, I never really felt this way. I always saw Jesus as Someone who is closer to me that anyone could be, and my relationship with Him felt so real. But now, when I’m weaker I guess, (though my faith in His love has not disappeared) - I had these thoughts.

I was thinking, can someone perhaps explain to me, how does Jesus love us, how does He see us? In which ways is this closer even than what people share in earthly romantic relationships? I just want to believe in His love more and to be secure in that, but it seems I forgot everything I thought i knew… it even all seemed like an illusion, something I made up through wishful thinking. But I do not believe that it is. What do you think? I’m interested in your thoughts
thank you.

 

[kslat]

I honestly don’t think we can imagine that. But for some sense of it, we might consider that God created man in His image and likeness, so He loves us enough to give us his likeness. Christ is God and created us just as God the Father or God the Spirit did. I have a feeling it’s much more like the love a mother or father has for her or his child, probably closer to the love of a mother since she carries a child in her womb. And considering that Christ became man for us and died for our sins, it must be a very deep and sympathetic love. If you consider those things and imagine a very, very big version of that, it might give you some sense of His love. But when compared to His actual love for us, it’s pretty underwhelming.

I did a pretty crummy job. Sorry.

As far as your vocation, I understand what you mean. I decided a long time ago that God probably wanted me to be married someday, and having this knowledge for years, I was really irritated when nothing ever came to fruition. Every man whom I met whom I believed could be brought to me by God was never interested. It was like trying to walk through a brick wall. After years of this frustration, I met the man I will marry about a year ago. I’d do it all–the waiting, the error, the learning–again. You will probably be frustrated, and it will be difficult, but when your vocation is clear, it will be worth it. Every turn in the road is there for a reason, and it will make sense someday.

As far as feeling distant from God, I understand that too. Just hold on, even if you can’t feel what you’re holding on to. One thing I’ve always found to help is praying out loud, especially during long car trips. I feel God’s presence much more strongly. In the past, when I maybe hadn’t prayed well for a really long time, I’d pray out loud on the way home, just talking to God like anyone else, and it really healed whatever distance I’d placed between myself and God. You might try it. (And take time to listen.)

I will keep you in my prayers. I hope the distance closes for you soon and that you will not be so troubled in the discernment of your vocation.

 

[MtnDwellar]

Hi Monica, You asked a very deep and heartfelt question. I am sure that my answer cannot do it justice.

What comes to my mind, is that it is hard to appreciate God’s love for me because He has the same love for everyone else. The married folk experience an individual love that is unique to them. While the love from a person is certainly glorious, it cannot hold a candle to the love Jesus has for us.

 

[FightingFat]

God loves us in that He wants what is perfect and right for us. He wants us to be completely fulfilled. He wants us to be as happy as possible.

In earlier times, He sent His Law so that we would know He cared about His people and so that we lived in His light and indeed His people prospered and became a light unto all the nations.

Later He sent His only Son, so that we might know Him, so that we might have hope and not be fearful, and so that we could know the best way to be so that we can find happiness in our mortal lives, looking forward to being complete in Him when we pass into the next world.

 

[Monica4316]

Thank you for the replies everyone all good points…

I’ve been continuing to think about this… I really want to be closer to God and to understand more about how He loves us.

I ordered a booklet about the Sacred Heart devotion from a website and this reflection was part of it… what do you think of it? I think that I agree… I’ve been reading about the Sacred Heart devotion and the book “Consoling the Heart of Jesus” and I think I’m getting more to the place where I am trusting in God’s love and that it is greater than any human love

“I desire to be loved; I crave the love of My creatures! When they will come to love Me, they will no longer offend Me. When two people really love each other, they never offend each other.”

“Love is good actions freely performed. I never refuse love to someone who asks for it - but it is your will, your actions that will develop it in you”

“I prefer an act of love and a Communion of love to any other gift… I thirst for love”

“Nothing is wanting in My heavenly beatitude, which is infinite, but I yearn for souls… I thirst for them, and want to save them”

“Ah! If onlly they [souls] knew My Heart… mankind is ignorant of Its mercy and goodness; that is My greatest sorrow”

"I believe…that God is so immense He can fill a universe easily, yet can be intimately present to each individual who calls on Him, and all at the same time. That this intimacy is so powerful that we feel that it is only us and Him, that the rest of the universe is barely there, so lost in HIs Love we are and so intimate and precious He makes us feel, when we love Him as He desires.

That the closer you get to the mountain, the bigger it becomes from your view and the smaller you seem in comparison. And when you really comprehend “the mountain” of God, you realize that you are truly nothing, and that is when you become. And it is overwhelmingly enough to be nothing, if He is all, He who saturates the universe with His Love and penetrates to the very core of your soul and beyond". (Caryn Brady, 2002).

sacredheartdevotion.com/

God bless

 

[FightingFat]

I ordered a booklet about the Sacred Heart devotion from a website and this reflection was part of it… what do you think of it?

I agree too. You know about the theology of the Sacred Heart being Christ’s will, on fire for love of us and utterly obedient to the Father by love?