My last week in Bowling Green, Kentucky was week three of FSY for me.
My co-counselor was someone I already knew and go to school with, so that was fun!
It was a bittersweet week, but I really enjoyed it and learned a lot.
There were a few main themes that stood out to me that week, and one of them was this idea of a “perfect love.”
And though I am about to share an abundance of quotes, song lyrics, and scriptures about God’s love for us, this quote is what I want the focal point of this blog post to be:
Elder Renlund said, “God’s love is perfect. Our ability to sense that love is not.”
Okay you’ve read it once. Here it is a second time.
Elder Renlund said, “God’s love is perfect. Our ability to sense that love is not.”
Here are some rhetorical questions to think about:
- Do I relate to that quote?
- Do I know someone who could use the reminder?
- Why is that important to know?
- What does that mean in my life?
It is highly likely you’ve heard that God loves you. Whether someone told you that directly, whether you saw a quote on Instagram or Facebook, whether you overheard it, whether someone made it known by the kind actions they showed you, whether you heard it in church your whole life, whether your religious friend mentioned it to you in passing one day … there are a myriad of ways to hear this truth.
But when you heard it, maybe once to a few times to basically all the time, did you believe it?
Did you think it was true?
Did it make you feel uncomfortable?
Did it feel like a lie?
Did it feel genuine?
Maybe you never questioned it …
But you think you’ve never felt it.
What about now?
How does it feel to read it now?
I’m all about being honest and vulnerable even though it’s scary for me sometimes, so I’m going to share one thing that I believed as a youth.
It really bothered me that He loved me just because. I wanted Him to love me because of who I was or because of what I did or because He knew that I was special.
I’ve realized that it is all of that and more. But mainly (and I’ve come to accept and appreciate this now), He loves us because we are HIS. We are His.
I have compiled a myriad (a lot) of proof that He loves us. A myriad of sources that say that He does. A myriad of sources that testify of His love.
Therefore, most of the words of this post will not be mine. They will be words from scriptures, apostles, songs, themes, and quotes.
At the end of this post, I hope you believe me just a little bit more than you did when you started this. And know that even if you don’t feel His love, it is always there. And it’s perfect.
It’s a perfect love.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39
2 But, behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto me—Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever.
Moses 4:2
Jesus Christ is often referred to as Heavenly Father’s “Beloved Son.” One cool thing that I absolutely love about the youth themes is that we are also “beloved.”
“I am a beloved daughter of heavenly parents, with a divine nature and eternal destiny.”
Young Women Theme
“I am a beloved son of God, and He has a work for me to do.”
Young Men Theme
He loves you still
He loves you through
He loves you even while even when
He loves you anyway in spite of and more than
When you slip, when you fall
When you’re weak and you let go
Even when you should hold on
He loves you still, He loves you still
And something tells me
He always will
He doesn’t wait for the moment we deserve it
He doesn’t hold back His grace till we earn it
No no, He knows we take time
We take time, yes we take time
And He loves us still
He loves us through
He loves us even while even when
He loves us anyway in spite of and more than
When we slip, when we fall
When we’re weak and we let go
Even when we should hold on
He loves us still, He loves us still
Even When by Hilary Weeks
This song got me through some really really hard times. It was a reminder I needed. That no matter what, He loved me.
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
1 John 4:8 & 1 John 4:16
The first and second commandments are to love God and to love our neighbors. So one can conclude that if love isn’t our primary motive in how we interact with people, then God would encourage us to reevaluate our actions and make love and belonging our first priority.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:16
I don’t know about you, but it’s really hard for me to watch people I love suffer. It’s almost more painful than suffering myself. Heavenly Father sent His son down here on earth, even though He knew it was going to be a very painful and difficult experience, so that He could save the rest of His children. I’m sure He wanted to hide in the corner of the universe as His son was crying out in agony as He bled out of every pore. As He was beaten and spit upon and killed. Instead, Heavenly Father knew it was necessary for His son to complete the atonement.
Your love reminds me the worth of my soul
Is so much deeper than the oceans,
And brighter than gold.
Your hands designed me, And You’ll never let go.
When I start to forget, Your love reminds me.
Your Love Reminds Me by Strive to Be
I hope one day His love can remind you that everything will be okay.
Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. Though we may feel lost and without compass, God’s love encompasses us completely.
I testify that God is in His heaven. He lives. He knows and loves you. He is mindful of you. He hears your prayers and knows the desires of your heart. He is filled with infinite love for you.
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf
“God’s love is there for you whether or not you feel you deserve love. It is simply always there.”
Thomas S. Monson
When the love of God sets the tone for our own lives, for our relationships to each other and ultimately our feeling for all humankind, then old distinctions, limiting labels, and artificial divisions begin to pass away, and peace increases.
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
I have a testimony that Heavenly Father loves you completely and wholly and truly. Our mortal brains simply cannot comprehend the love that He has for you. I know that He wants what is best for you, and sometimes that means that things will be really hard. I know that He will never give up on you, and I know that He is aware of you every moment of every day.
He loves you.
Because you are His.
Nothing can stand in the way.
We are beloved.
He loves us even when.
He is love, and He loves you.
He sent His son so you could live with Him again.
His love can remind you that you are divine and worth more than you can imagine.
God loves you completely and perfectly. He hears your prayers, and He will answer them.
He is filled with infinite love for you.
God’s love is always there.
The love of God can increase peace in our lives and hearts.
Elder Renlund said, “God’s love is perfect. Our ability to sense that love is not.”
Whether or not you feel God’s love, I know it’s there. I also know that one day, you can and you will feel His love.
The greatest being in the universe loves and knows you. He is really there. He loves you perfectly.
It’s a perfect love.
P.S. All of the words that have lines underneath them are linked to that source. I highly encourage you to click on them and read for yourself. And I HIGHLY recommend you click on the links to the songs and listen to them because music is a power all of itself!
So beautiful Kyra!! Such a refreshing reminder of important truths. Thank you for your own testimony and example and for helping so many feel His love!