Returning to Trust

"In my own life I well know how hard it is for me to trust that I am loved, and to trust that the intimacy I most carve is there for me, I most often live as if I have to earn love, do something noteworthy, and then perhaps I might get something in return. This attitude touches the whole question of what is called in the spiritual life, the 'first love.' Do I really believe that I am loved first, independent of what I do or what I accomplish? This is an important question because as long as I think that what I most need I have to earn, deserve and collect by hard work, I will never get what I most need and desire, which is a love that cannot be earned, but that is freely given. Thus, my return is my willingness to renounce such thoughts and to choose to live more and more form my true identity as a cherished child of God." -Henri Nouwen

If we could only stop trying so hard to earn God's love, we could start living as someone who is already loved deeply by God. We spend so much time trying to earn favor that we get frustrated because we know we aren't good enough and that leads to a sense of despair. If we could only accept that God loves us just as we are, and begin to live our lives as someone who knows they are loved and accepted, we could take that energy wasted trying to get God to love us and put it towards living a grateful life because we're loved. God loves you! Stop trying to earn that love. Instead, accept God's love and do your best to live a life that your loving God would be proud of.