What I’m Learning about God’s Heart
There’s an endless amount for me to learn about God’s heart. Every time I lean in, I’m met by a beautiful new revelation about His character. In this season of life especially, as I navigate the murky waters of uncertainty, His presence has felt palpable. By following His call, I’ve been stripped of most distractions and provided time and space to enter into the secret place with Him and Him alone. That in and of itself is such an act of kindness on His part.
When I first felt His invitation to leave my stable 9-5 almost three months ago, I didn’t know what the path forward would be. And when I was met by more questions than answers on the other side of leaving, I can’t honestly say I totally trusted where His hand was guiding me. But His patience and persistence in pursuing my heart so I could more fully know His has been transforming me and breaking loose the doubts I had about who He is.
I still don’t have a clear picture of what my path will look like but I have a much clearer picture of my Father who never fails. If this time was for no other reason than to draw near to Him without distraction or busyness, it was worth it. I’ve been overwhelmed by the vastness of God’s goodness and the depths of His kindness. He’s approached me with the utmost gentleness even as I’ve questioned His very nature. When I’ve tried pushing away, He’s drawn me nearer.
While I have more unknowns to navigate in this season, I can’t imagine walking out of this experience the same. How can my heart not be dramatically changed when God has so generously shared how His heart beats for me and others? I don’t know what season you’re in, friend, but I know the same God who has shown me so much kindness is with you, too – right where you are.
This list could stretch on for eternity but I wanted to share what’s struck me most about who God is and what the outpouring of His heart looks and feels like. Some I’ve always known but never fully felt until this season. Some surprised me. All wrecked me in the best way possible. When you experience even just a fraction of His love (which is likely all we can handle on this side of Heaven), it changes you.
He is so gentle
When I think of a divine being, I instinctively think of a rigid and harsh ruler. God is the complete opposite. He has every right to barrel down from Heaven with harsh commands – but He doesn’t. His voice, when you’re still enough to hear it, is like a quiet whisper (read 1 Kings 11-13). A gentle stream of water. Even in my worst moments, He has met me with what feels like a warm hug. I’ve never known Him to be cruel or abrasive. He is so gentle with us and with our hearts, no matter where we are or what we’ve done.
He approaches us humbly
More often than not, I think I’m more prideful than God. What a convicting thought. The creator of the universe and everything in it doesn’t roll out the red carpet and sound the trumpets every time He graces us with His presence. No, He’s unassuming, inviting us to spend time with Him but never forcing us to. He could lord His supremeness over us, He has every right to. But I’ve never experienced that. In my pride, I’ve often tuned into the world around me instead of the God who is with me, quietly asking to be heard. He is the perfect example of humility even though He has every reason not to be.
His love never fails
I’ve read and sung this phrase for years but I don’t know that it ever took root in my heart as an unbreakable truth until recently. I think all of us have experienced hurt in relationships. Somewhere along my journey, that hurt reflected into the belief that God would be the same. That His love wasn’t truly all-encompassing, never wavering even at my darkest hour. In my finiteness, I can’t fully comprehend an omnipresent God that operates from a place of eternal love. But that’s exactly who and what He does – love. It’s not offered one second then snatched back the next. It’s a constant outpouring that comes from the very core of who He is. It’s what motivates everything He does for us. His love truly never fails.
He is always kind
Always, without exception. God’s kindness isn’t always recognizable in the moment, especially if you’re facing disappointment or the unexpected, but He always is. In this season, I was struck with the thought that we never even know all the ways God has poured out kindness here on earth. He’s saved us from more than we can imagine, shielded us from what wasn’t for us, and guided us by green pastures and still waters.
He wants to provide – and will
God never fails to provide. When I left my job, I wasn’t blind to the very real and numerical cost of following His voice. It’s what made me question His judgment. With vast amounts of patience and gentleness, He reassured me that He would provide. We tend to focus on the earthly cost of things, not thinking twice about the kingdom cost. On earth, I would lose a good salary if I was obedient. But what would I lose out on in the kingdom if I wasn’t obedient? There are eternal, lasting treasures stored up in Heaven that are far more valuable than my salary. And if God calls me to pay an earthly price so that His will may be done, then I’ll set my eyes on what matters in the kingdom.
He’s always faithful to provide exactly what we need when we need it. You may feel like you’re paying an earthly cost right now, but if you’re letting Him guide you, there’s no better place to be.
There are so many things I wish I could fit into this one blog post. God is so good! His heart is the picture of ultimate beauty. His divine nature is so opposite to what I would ever come up with on my own. I hope you’ll spend time getting to experience His heart that is unmatched because you’ll never walk away disappointed or hurt. You’ll only be pulled deeper into the folds of a love that never fails.
