There is no shortage of people who believe that their pasts define them. The past is carried around, weighing people down every single moment of their lives. It's a burden to simply think about, but allowing it to build up inside you makes it even worse. Something that many struggle with is how to let go of the past. Often times, people have a desire for Christ, but they are convinced that the feeling is not mutual. Though Scripture says in 2nd Corinthians 5:15, "And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again," people tend to doubt that God could love those who have committed such abhorred sins. However, this verse reminds us allthat God sent His only Son to die for every single person who has lived, is living, and will live. This means that Christ alone chose to grant us entry into an eternal life with Him. All we have to do is accept the fact that this is the truth and live our lives devoted to the One who bled for our sins.
What is truly heartbreaking is the fact that people believe that if they have sinned too much, God will not accept them and love them for who they are. Although people hear hundreds of times that they are never too far away to come home to Christ, which relates to the amazing story of the prodigal's son, they cannot comprehend it. There are countless incomprehensible things about Christ, but one of the first attributes that comes to my mind when I think of God is loving. Yes, it seems impossible that God would still love His creation after they have lived so long participating in things that He despises. But the beauty of it is that it is true. At certain points in my life, I have felt selfish for never struggling with believing that my iniquities were too much for God to love me, but I now realize that I should be so very thankful that it is not a struggle of mine. It is difficult to wrap my mind on the fact that God could love someone like me, but at the same time, I know for a fact that it's the truth because I have felt it.
One of the most incredulous things about God is that He loves unconditionally and more than we could ever imagine. There are times in everyone's lives where we feel unwanted, unlovable, and unfixable, but we are completely transformed people in Christ. He is the one who makes us feel wanted when we feel as if no one wants us. He is the one whose extravagant love travels far beyond our minds' boundaries of the limits of love. He is the one who changes us and allows us to have a fresh start every single day. If anyone cannot wrap their mind around the fact that God loves them and wants them despite their sin, know this: once you become a child of God, He no longer sees your sin. When He looks at you, He sees Jesus because you have become a reflection of who Christ is. You carry Him around everywhere you go, and He desires to let you know that He loves you unconditionally and welcomes you into His arms enthusiastically. God will always want you and will always love you, and it breaks His heart that any of His beloved children would believe otherwise. No one is too deep in sin for Christ to reach out His hand and pull you out of it. His arm is outstretched, and all it takes is for you to rise above your past and grasp the hand of the loving Father.
