God Loves You Even When You Don’t Feel Worthy

A few years ago, an epic parenting failure left me feeling like the worst mom in the world. I imagine you’ve had a few of your own failures—moments when it was hard to believe that God loves you in the middle of your messiest moments. I’ll share my story, and we’ll talk about God’s love. Also, be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you experience God’s presence and love.

The evening of my failure, the sun was sinking low.

It was time to clean up the house and relax for a few minutes before going to bed. I’d put away the toys three times throughout the day, and I told five-year-old Bekah it was her turn.

I was ready to crash onto the couch and clock out for the day.

On cue, our sweet girl put away every toy—except for one. Instead of stashing the magnetic drawing board in its spot, she plopped it directly on top of my legs as I reclined on the couch.

“I told you to put these toys away!” I unfurled. “How dare you drop this last toy on top of me instead of putting it away!”

Immediately, tears filled Bekah’s eyes. Instead of gently responding to her in a loving way, I continued on my rant. “Don’t you dare throw one more fit today! I’m tired of the fits,” I barked.

Shaking her head furiously, she pointed at the drawing board. “Read it,” she whimpered.

My heart melted as I read the words she’d written on the drawing board: “I love you, Mom. U R the bestest mom ever.”

God Loves You Even When You Don’t Feel Worthy

Needless to say, I didn’t feel like the best mom ever. I profusely apologized to Bekah, loved her as well as I could throughout the remainder of our day together, and slinked off to bed feeling like the worst mom in the world. As I picked up my Bible for my evening reading, no part of me wanted to draw close to God. I didn’t feel worthy of his love.

Almost immediately, the words of Romans 5:8 came to mind: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” I was reminded that even when I mess up—even when I don’t feel worthy of God’s love—his love remains. Regardless of whether I feel God’s love, he still goes on loving me. He proved his love—once and for all—when Jesus died on the cross for me.

We all experience times when we don’t feel lovable. Romans 5:8 reminds us that regardless of whether we feel loved, God demonstrated his love, once and for all, when he allowed his beloved Son to die for us.

The next time you feel unlovable, remind yourself that God loves you unconditionally—even when you don’t feel his love. The cross is proof of his love, and nothing can take his love away from you.

~~~

As for my relationship with Bekah, she’s 11 now, and I’ve failed her more than once since that sad evening with the drawing board. But by the grace of God, we keep loving one another through our failures, and we are growing stronger with each year.

Your Invitation to Soak in God’s Love

I invite you to rest with the Lord for a moment, and allow your thoughts to settle. Now, imagine your most precious loved one. Relish in thoughts of everything you love about this cherished person.

Imagine sending your most precious loved one to suffer and die on behalf of another person. Reflect on the fact that there could be no greater demonstration of love. God wants you to know that he loves you so much that he sent his beloved Child to die in your place. There is no greater demonstration of love. Bask in this truth before you move on to the next part of your day. This truth holds the power to transform your life.

Calling All Parents (and Grandparents)!

As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 15, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or older relatives to read with the children and teens they love. You can find all three books here or read more below.

Attention All Boy Moms (and Dads)!

God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength helps young boys, ages 5-13, learn what it means to trust God and become strong warriors for his kingdom. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to boldly carry God’s love into the world. I wrote this boys’ devotional book with our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven! You’ll enjoy their honesty as we teach boys how to be strong warriors for the Lord. Find this life-changing devotional book here.

Mother-Daughter Devotionals by a Mom and Daughter

Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.

Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.

Find Our Family Devotionals Here

Find all three books right here. They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial! These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them. Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.

A Free Devotional to Help You Find Hope in the Lord

I invite you to create space for God to transform your life by downloading a free copy of my devotional eBook, The Lean Into Grace Devotional: An 8-Day Devotional for Healing, Deliverance, and Replenishment. Find it for free here. I also offer a library of free online devotional eBooks for free. I invite you to explore the collection right here!