The Healing Journey

March 9, 2025

James remembers the first time his friend asked him, “Do you really believe God loves you?”

“What kind of stupid question is that?” he thought to myself. Since he learned to walk, everyone from his mother to Sr. Immaculata in 2nd grade catechism to Brother Francis Callahan, his high school religion teacher, and countless others had assured him, “God loves you.” He heard it so often, it went in one ear and out the other. It was a great “idea,” but that was all it was.

“Of course,” he replied, even though he was thinking, “Who knows for sure?”

Just because everyone tells you something doesn’t mean you feel it in your heart. Besides, God had a LOT of other people to love, so James had to be somewhere way down the list.

Plus, he never considered himself particularly lovable. He grew up in a family with a fair share of emotional and physical abuse, which left him haunted by a lifelong sense of inadequacy. So how could God possibly see anything to love? He never realized you don’t have to be lovable for God to love you.

But God does, indeed, love us. And we have to find out for ourselves. God will even give us proof of his love. Try this. Begin every day by saying, “Lord, help me recognize your personal love for me today in my life.”

Pray it, especially when you’re suffering, angry, depressed or defeated, and pretty soon you’ll see evidence of God’s love for you.

Note: The prayer says “personal love for me,” which means his love is intended just for you. It’s not like your company’s 401(k) match. Yes, God loves everyone He ever created, but his love for You is special. He loves you for who you are, no matter who you are.

He manifests his love for us in different ways that often go unrecognized. And He’s always trying to get our attention, although most people don’t realize it because they’re distracted by the humdrum of life.

If you pause a few moments every morning and say the prayer from your heart, you’ll see signs of his personal love, especially when you need encouragement, comfort, hope, consolation, companionship and just about anything else.

For example, a cardinal might light on the branch of a tree and start singing just as you’re looking out the window. When you feel discouraged, you might suddenly get a call from an old friend you haven’t talked to in years, or you may discover a greeting card in the mailbox that someone sent for no apparent reason, other than to say you are loved. That’s God doing what He does best … sharing his love — a lot of love with a little joy and hope thrown in for good measure. Yes, God’s love is much more than an idea. Be open to the possibilities, recognize them, and say thank you.

“Lord, help me recognize your personal love for me today in my life.”
©J. Pisani

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