Sisters, I do not claim to know where you have been, how you have been treated or what you have been told. I respect you too much to attempt to understand or make light of the pain you have felt or the fear you have lived with. The only statement that I feel I am able to make with some sense of surety is that you are tired. Tired of standards, opinions and expectations. Tired of trying so hard to feel beautiful. These things are not inherently wrong or destructive however, evil has a way of perverting even the best of things. I would venture to say that some of you know the weight of these ideas while there are those of you that have lived with them for so long you no longer remember what it is like to exist with freedom or passion. This is one of the greatest tragedies to witness…like a beautiful sunset obscured by darkening clouds, there is a sorrow that is nearly tangible when a daughter is blind to her Father’s affection.
The glorious reality is that God is a master of meeting you in the midst your struggle, and if I may be so bold let me remind you of a wonderful Truth…
You no longer need to labor for His Love…
I would venture to guess that hearing that statement and taking it to heart is difficult for many of you. Perhaps the reason for this is because this Truth stands in such direct contrast to nearly everything that most of you have heard your entire life. You know deep down in your heart that every person that has sought you regardless of their intentions (whether good or bad) had their standards and their limits. In the back of your mind you are aware that in order to receive you must give and there is always a point at which love refuses to continue. Most of you have an intimate understanding of this type of transactional relationship and the great error occurs when created conceptions are projected onto a thoroughly uncreated Father.
Your Father refuses to let you attempt to buy His Love. It never has been, nor will it ever be for sale. The beauty of His Love is that it is free, there is no need to continue to work for something that is free or fear exhausting something that is truly limitless! Christ has already met every standard that is present. Every opinion you feel or hear about yourself falls short of what He thinks of you. Every expectation comes to an abrupt halt at the foot of His cross. Your Father is a lover that has no expectations of you, nor does he demand that you maintain in order to be worthy. Your worth and value have already been determined by Him alone. He has declared you to be the recipient of His unconditional Love and that declaration is irrevocable. That means it is unalterable, unchangeable, immutable, final, binding and permanent. Allow yourself to let that sink in. As it does I encourage you to step away from all the ways that you are laboring for His Love and step into a place of resting in all he offers. After all, there is nothing as beautiful as a Daughter fully aware of her place with her Father.
Until next time…
MB
