Let God Love You

We just finished yet another wonderful General Conference weekend. We will miss President Russell M. Nelson, for sure, but there was a calm spirit about this conference that, I must admit, was a bit refreshing. There was a tenderness in President Dallin H. Oaks I haven’t quite seen before. It will be nice to slow down the pace a bit and relish in the goodness of the Gospel message. 

Before we move on to the talks shared this weekend, I would like to highlight one more talk from our past General Conference. Elder Patrick Kearon has won the hearts of many members. He is joyful and vibrant. He brings hope and light to a darkening world. I really want to write some thoughts on his most recent address because it highlights a concept I have thought a lot about. 

LET GOD LOVE YOU! 

Do you feel God’s love for you? Elder Kearon invites us to receive God’s love. Similarly, I heard in a regional training meeting with Elder Uchtdorf that “For change to take place, we need to actively let the light in.”  Let and receive are two words that really strike me. 

Elder Kearon says this: 

“You may be wondering, ‘What do I have to do to receive this gift from God?’ Well, actually, nothing. It is a gift from the Giver. It is simply a fact. Just let it in. You are His child. You are beloved of Him. Do not complicate it. Do not block the receiving of this gift with thoughts that you are somehow undeserving.” 

Again, I emphasized the words let and receive. “Just let it in.” Can it be that simple? Maybe so.  Maybe instead of asking if God loves me, I can ask, “Why do I resist feeling God’s love in my life? What am I doing or believing that makes it hard for me to feel it? Why am I making His love for me so complicated.” 

Well, all relationships are complicated. That is true. In her book, Let God Love You, Wendy Ulrich talks about the relationship we have with God and how it’s really no different than any other relationship we have. There are times of closeness and moments of distance. There may be communication issues or expectations not met. But she also says this: 

“Some of our beliefs about what love should be are idealized fantasies of a love so perfect it would make us effortlessly whole, happy, selfless and spiritually in tune. Instead, we need to work on being more open, vulnerable, accepting and generous in real human relationships with ordinary mortals in order to grow in our capacity to love. Only then can we prepare for genuine closeness with the God who is patience and compassionate with our weakness.”

Recently talking with a group of friends, one woman expressed how it’s always been difficult for her to feel the love of God in her life. I said something similar to what Sister Ulrich wrote above, “Maybe our expectations of what that love ‘should’ look or feel like is what needs to change.” 

Maybe that’s what Elder Kearon is also saying when he invites us to receive God’s love. Rather than thinking it needs to be a certain way, maybe we accept what God has to offer us in the way we personally understand. After all, His love is universal such that every one of his children has the capacity to feel it. He will speak to my soul the way my soul will understand. 

Again, Elder Kearon says: 

The Holy Spirit can bear witness to your heart that your re indeed a child of the Most High. When you welcome this majestic reality into your very soul and feel both the comfort and the thrill of it, your entire paradigm shifts! You can feel His love, hear his voice, and recognize His hand, no matter what is happening…in your life. 

Catholic priest, Henri Nouwen, has said, “One of the tragedies of our life is that we keep forgetting who we are and waste a lot of time and energy to prove what doesn’t need to be proved.” 

I think that’s what makes it hard for us to fully receive God’s love. Somehow we believe we need to prove something to God, prove ourselves. In our most recent General Conference, I think it was President Eyring who taught that to prove also means to “empower with strength.” We don’t need to prove ourselves to God, we need to let God prove us — empower us with His strength. We need to let God love us! 

“…oh, how He yearns to one day have you return to Him, to receive the supreme intent of all His beautiful gifts, eternal life with Him. The question is not whether this gift of truth is real but whether we will discover and receive it (Elder Kearon).” 

Let God Love You! 

All our Father in Heaven desires is that we will let Him in, receive Him, accept His precious gift and understand our true identity! 

What a beautiful message by Elder Kearon. It is one I am truly grateful for and wholeheartedly believe!! Though it has taken me a long journey to get here, I have felt it and can testify with Elder Kearon that when you accept God’s love, “You can redefine how you see yourself and others. Your covenant bond with your Savior becomes even stronger, and through the lens of this sweet gift, life take on new brilliance, beauty and hope.” 

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You really are His cherished daughter. 

You really are His precious son. 

And the path you are on is His plan of happiness. 

With His omniscient love, He knows exactly who you were before you were sent to earth and what you have experienced so far in your mortal life, and He has mercifully planned for your every tomorrow.

Elder Patrick Kearon