The idea that God loves me is a concept I grew up learning. I sang the classic song “Jesus Loves Me” as a child and learned common verses like John 3:16 by heart. Eventually the love that God had for me changed from a cliche to a transformative reality when I accepted that love for my sinful heart and became a child of God. 

However, over time, the purity of the idea that God loved me slowly morphed into a cloudy concept. The reason for this is multifaceted. 

In part, I struggled to see God’s love as unconditional because I was taught some legalistic ideas by the church I attended at the time. These might have sounded like ‘when you sin God turns His face from you’ or ‘when you sin God won’t hear your prayers’. Of course, these are falsehoods conjured up in an effort to evoke repentance and surrender to God but they are harmful and misrepresentative of the Father.

I also struggled to see God’s love as steadfast. This was in large part due to my warped idea of the love of a father because of the earthly relationship I had. Some days it was warm, happy, and caring. Other days it was…not love at all. Occasionally, it felt a bit like the opposite of love. 

It is natural for us to filter our understanding of the Father’s love through the only earthly representation we are afforded. Over time, I learned that this is not a healthy practice and I had to work on overcoming it but that was not simple. 

As I wrestled with these emotions and ideas, I was listening to a sermon and the pastor began to explain how most Christians wholeheartedly agree that God loves them but they aren’t as sure that God likes them.

The pastor said, “God likes you”.

He further explained that God would choose to be your friend, that God would want to hang out with you, and that God actually finds you interesting and enjoyable as a person. 

I broke down in tears as I was driving.

God liked me? Somehow that felt so much more meaningful and precious. 

Picturing my Savior choosing to sit with me in a crowded room or desiring to set aside time just to spend time with me in an informal way…this ministered to my heart in ways nothing else had. 

In my mind, God might have just loved me because He was “good like that” and He wanted to restore what was broken by the fall. But, that was just “big picture” love that God bound Himself to because Jesus died on the cross for sinners. 

This—this was different. God liking me was not an obligation but simply interest in me as an individual. This was care and kindness—friendship. 

Jesus—the friend of sinners.

How beautiful He is! 

I hope you know that God likes you. He likes you a lot. In fact, it was because He liked you that He loved you. 

He didn’t create man for a twisted game He wrote the rules to. He created man for relationship. 

He created you to spend time with you. 

I hope you know just how much He delights in you—all of you.