I may not get a chance to write today, but I've been interacting with high-schoolers through email, and I wrote this little piece for a student. It encouraged me to write it as I really needed to hear it. Maybe it will encourage you as well:
Hey Genesis (What a name!),
Great to hear back from you. I've struggled with what you're talking with a lot myself. I can't imagine that God really loves me. But this is the lie that Satan has pummeled into humanity - "God doesn't really love you."
But imagine with me someone who made everything that makes you uniquely you - God.
Now imagine with me someone who would do anything for you - God.
Now imagine with me someone who would not only do anything for you but would go all the way and die for you - God.
Now imagine someone that would not only die for you but would experience something far worse that we humans can understand, receiving all of God's judgement on sin on the cross so that we don't have to - God.
Now imagine that it's all not just your imagination, it's truer than anything.
This is why the Gospel is called "good news," because we are literally rescued from ourselves, even our inconsistencies in understanding how to believe. God covers it all and all he asks for in return is nothing. He doesn't want you to do anything, he simply wants to begin relating to you. How does that sound?
All of the above is why I don't think God is the type to brush you off. I know he's not. In fact I believe you are already his. It sounds like you want to be right? He looks with delight on you. He rejoices over you. He is enthralled with you. He can't wait to relate more of his goodness to you. He wants you to be filled with joy. He wants you to be blown away by his goodness. He wants you to read scripture and know that it is all written for people like you. He wants you to finally relax and start to learn how to really be loved.
I'm writing a lot of this for me as well. I have to hear it again and again and again, because the lie can be so so loud. But unless the gospel is good news for sinners like me, people who are always either trying to measure up, or can't give a rip about God, than it's not the gospel. It says somewhere in my bible "that God showed his great love for us in this, that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Just receive it with thanks! It is totally free. And it sets us free.
Philip
