I recently read this about God’s love, that it is not “as long as,” but “IN SPITE OF.” And I 100% agree!!
W H I L E I N M O R M O N I S M:
I believed God’s love okwas conditional. I believed I was worthy of God’s love and saving grace through the temple covenants only….
AS LONG AS I paid my tithing perfectly
AS LONG AS I kept the word of wisdom perfectly
AS LONG AS I kept the law of chastity perfectly
AS LONG AS I was honest in all my dealings
AS LONG AS I had a perfect faith and perfect testimony without any room for doubt
AS LONG AS I did everything asked of me by my Mormon leaders and prophets, perfectly.
I was filled with shame, anxiety, and depression because I felt unable to live up to the requirement of this God’s salvation. I felt unworthy because I was not perfect.
BUT, thank goodness for the God of grace that I know today.
A F T E R I LE F T M O R M O N I S M: the God of grace showed me that divine love is unconditional IN SPITE OF my unworthiness, imperfection, and sin.
God loves me, and saves me, just as I am…
IN SPITE OF my dishonesty
IN SPITE OF my immorality
IN SPITE OF my anger
IN SPITE OF my jealousy and pride
IN SPITE OF my doubt
IN SPITE OF all my faults
IN SPITE OF my unworthiness and imperfection
I will never be worthy or perfect of God’s salvation despite all my best efforts. None of us will.
BUT IN SPITE OF my unworthiness, I am fully loved and saved by God just as I am!
No longer am I filled with shame. Rather these days, I am filled with God’s s righteousness, grace, hope, peace, and even JOY!!
I have never been more convicted of any truth than I am of this – JESUS ALONE IS MORE THAN ENOUGH! I am so grateful I realized that I do not need Mormon temple covenants to be saved and changed by grace. I am so thankful that I have direct access to the Father through the propitiation of Jesus. I’m so grateful that I realized I do not need a middle man to reveal God’s heart for me.
If you are struggling to feel worthy of God’s love, I invite you to consider where you can give yourself permission to let go. Where can you let go of the “as long as” conditional love you have been believing, and step into the “in spite of” love that sets us free?
If you are open to receiving prayer, this is my prayer for you…May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing. May Jesus alone be the anchor of your soul and your Great High priest. May you accept Jesus into your heart by grace alone, knowing that we are saved by this sacrifice alone. Our bodies are now the temples in which God dwells.
Love is patient, love is kind. Love is not easily angered, and love keeps no record of wrongs.
If I have not love, I am nothing.
With much love!!
Ruth Renee
Romans 15:13
1 Corinthians 13
Ephesians 2:8-9
Hebrews 6:19
Acts 17:24
Hebrews 4:12-16
Hosea 2:14-23, 3:1-5
