My Story

Welcome to Real Life. I'm Peggi Tustan. Join me as we take hold of the life that's truly life by taking hold of the God who's truly God. To know God is to know his love.

Do You Really Love Me, Lord?

The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17, NIV
For a long time, I couldn't own this verse. I knew intellectually it was true. God loves me. He loves everyone, right? I could easily believe God loves you. But I struggled to experience his love myself.

Because I struggled to experience God’s love, I started to believe a lie. I thought God’s love was tied to my behavior. If I behaved better, God would love me more. I lived under a cloud of guilt. I wasn't doing enough. I wasn't good enough for God to love me. So, I tried harder. I volunteered, joined committees, coordinated conferences, cooked meals, sang in the choir, etc. Every morning, noon, and night held some commitment. I was exhausted. Finally one day, I hit the wall. I had an emotional breakdown. I was such a mess, I could barely function.

In that broken place, where I could no longer work to earn God’s love, I felt so loved by him. I knew he allowed my breakdown. He loved me too much to let me believe a lie. We don't have to earn God’s love. His love isn't like the love we experience in this world. You do for me, I’ll do for you. You love me, I’ll love you. God’s love isn't based on our goodness. It’s based on his. 

God loves me because of who he is, not who I am. God is love.[1]

God does want us to live a holy life. But our behavior does not affect his love for us. We can’t do one thing to make him love us any more (or any less) than he already does. He loves us so completely, it would be impossible for him to love us one drop more. I know it. I feel it. I believe it. 

God loves you! It can sound almost trite. The reality is anything but. The reality changed my life.

Take it Further

Reread Zephaniah 3:17 above. Let God quiet you with his love. Declare aloud: God takes great delight in me. He rejoices over me in song.

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,
may have power, together with all the saints,
to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,
and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—
that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:17-19, NIV

[1] 1 John 4:8, 16

Comments

  1. Nancy L. HoustonOctober 10, 2019 at 8:43 AM

    Yes, I believed lies too. I think we do that partially because it puts us in control and definitely because it is the enemy's trick to keep us in his bondage . . . his grip of control.

    My career as an activities director in nursing homes and assisted living communities gave me a sense of purpose bringing moments of joy to residents and their families.

    I can relate to your personal experience with your parents (in perrenialgen.com post). Both of mine are in heaven. I miss them! Especially right now. I am writing my life stories to publish on my blog. They are closely on my heart. Thank you for sharing your Misspelled Name post. I love your Dad's sense of humor and I can see my Mom rolling her eyes! LOL

    I have written memories on my blog about my parents. It helps to keep them close. www.farmgirlsfaithnfancies.weebly.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Peggi TustanOctober 10, 2019 at 6:38 PM

      Hi Nancy,
      Thank you for working as an activities director in nursing homes/assisted living communities. Our activities director gave my parents so much joy! You definitely provide a needed ministry!

      I wrote down your web address and I will check out your blog as soon as I have an opportunity. Thanks so much for taking time to visit me and leave a comment!

      Delete

Post a Comment

Thanks so much for taking the time to comment!

Popular posts from this blog

Forever, You Love Me | A Psalm of Peggi Tustan

Image
Welcome to Real Life . When you think of God, what comes to mind? Lord, you are my refuge. When I am weak, when I am afraid, when I am insecure, I run to you. You are my safe place. I share the deepest secrets of my heart with you. I share my most difficult struggles with you. I confess my ugliest sin to you. When I feel unlovable, when I struggle to love myself, Still, you love me. You forgive me. You wash me. You restore me. You wrap me in the righteousness of your Son. You hear, you understand, you answer my cries. You go before me and behind me. You protect me from harm and evil. You keep me safe. You know every moment of my past. You see every moment of my future. You know me better than I know myself. And still, you love me. I do not have to pretend to be strong, or full of faith. You know the truth, because you know me. I do not have to strive to earn your love and approval. You love me as I am. Because you know me so well, you know what is best for me. Your plans for me are...
Read more

Are You Thirsty? | John 4

Image
Welcome to Real Life . No one can live without water. “Will you give me a drink?” Jesus asks a Samaritan woman. Nothing satisfies thirst like cool, clear water—especially after a long hike. Jesus and his disciples were on a 70-mile trek from Jerusalem to Galilee. About halfway, they stop in Sychar, Samaria to rest. While the disciples enter the town to buy food, Jesus waits outside the city at Jacob’s well. When a Samaritan woman comes to draw water, he asks her for a drink. A drink of water is no big deal, right? Actually, it is. “You’re a Jew and I’m a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” she asks. Jews did not associate with Samaritans. They considered them half-breeds who worshiped other gods alongside Yahweh. Jews believed any contact with Samaritans (like drinking from the same ladle) rendered them unclean. “If you knew the gift of God and who asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water,” Jesus replies. “Everyone who drinks...
Read more

Victory Over Lions | Daniel 6

Image
Welcome to Real Life . Who are we trying to please? “ Not everyone has to like me... I can't force people to have good taste. ”   Anonymous No matter how hard we try to do everything right, some people will not like us. Daniel was an all-around great guy—loyal, wise, and full of integrity! King Darius recognized his exceptional qualities and planned to set him over the entire kingdom. The other administrators, however, grew jealous. They spied on Daniel trying to detect some fault, some corruption, some negligence in him. But they found nothing. Finally, they realized the only way to take Daniel down was to find something to do with the law of his God. Daniel’s enemies noticed that he prayed three times a day with his window open towards Jerusalem. They devised a plan, and approached King Darius, saying, “May the king live forever! We all agree the king should issue a decree that anyone who prays to any god or human for the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be th...
Read more