Jesus loves you- a phrase you’ve probably heard countless times. I’ve heard it, I’ve said it, but I haven’t always believed it in my heart. Why? Religion has gotten in the way of love.
One of the greatest things I’ve struggled with this year is weeding religion OUT of my life. Religion sucks. For far too long it killed my relationship with Jesus, with those around me, and it killed the way I felt about myself.
This is how I grew up to understand and believe religion- that in order to be in God’s good graces I needed to go to church, read my bible, and not think or say anything bad about others. Basically I believed that if I followed legalistic rules I would be worthy of God’s love. That is a big, fat lie.
I write this because I have a feeling that many of you reading this have come to know God in the same way- distant, condemning, hypocritical.Why in the world would anyone want to follow that?! Following religion is just a set up for failure, guilt, and shame.
Religion killed the relationship I had with myself because trying to be “perfect” only makes me stew in how flawed and broken I am. It’s defeating.
Religion killed my relationships with people around me because, all too often, religion views others through eyes of judgment and comparison.
Religion killed my relationship with Jesus because I was too busy being chained and working to earn love.
I’m sorry if you been hurt by religion and turned away from God because of it. I used to feel the same way. Too many of us have been tricked into thinking that there is love in striving to follow religious ways.
I didn’t realize until this year that those lies were deeply rooted in my heart and were preventing me from experiencing God for who he truly is.
God is not religion.
God is LOVE.
Perfect, unfailing love.
Love became a perfect human, came to earth, and DIED so that we could be
free from religion.
That’s it, plain and simple.
JESUS LOVES ME.
Jesus restored my relationship with myself because he loves me for exactly who I am. “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and WONDERFULLY made.”- Psalm 139:13-14
Jesus restored how I treat others because he loves everyone fiercely, selflessly, and we are called to do the same. “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”- John 15: 12-13
Jesus restored my relationship with Him by showing me that I am free from the chains of working to earn love. His love is not earned, it is freely given. “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.”-Galatians 5:1
This is not ground breaking information, but you know what is ground breaking? The difference between hearing that “Jesus loves you” in your head and actually letting Him into your heart to transform the way you live. I don’t believe in religion anymore. I believe in Jesus Christ who died so that I could be FREE. That’s true love and that’s worth sharing with everyone.
