When we’re doubting that God really loves us, what we’re really doubting is His character.
Metaphor:

Let’s say you have a close relationship with your grandfather, and someone starts spreading rumors about him. Like most rumors, they’re not complimentary. In fact, they claim that your grandfather has done some awful things.
You hear these rumors, and you feel doubts starting to creep in. Did your grandfather really do these things? Have you ever really known him?
But then you think to yourself: I know this man’s character. I’ve seen it through his actions and words for decades! You recall a plethora of specific examples. And with that restored filter, you dismiss the doubts and the rumors.

It’s vitally important to keep our primary focus on God’s character rather than what’s going on around us.
That’s not to say that what we’re through isn’t important–it certainly is.
Also, God genuinely cares about what we’re experiencing, enduring, feeling, struggling with…all of it.
But if we primarily focus on what’s happening, we risk losing sight of who God is and potentially making our circumstances more powerful than our mighty, loving God.
To counteract that risk, we can dig into the specific attributes of God’s character.
For example, God is holy and unchanging.

To be set apart from evil.
God’s nature, will, and actions are pure.
1 John 1:5 (NLT): “This is the message we heard from and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.”

And His holiness never changes - because God’s character is immutable (i.e., unchangeable).

Malachi 3:6 (NLT): “I am the Lord, and I do not change.”
1 Samuel 15:29 (NLT): “And he who is the Glory of Israel will not lie, nor will he change his mind, for he is not human that he should change his mind!”

1 John 4:16 (NLT): “We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.”
Verse 18 then goes on to say, “Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.”
God isn’t a regular kind of love; He’s a perfect love.

In Relate Escape Place, you’ll find two mini courses–Decode God’s Love and Demystify God’s Character–that will help you dive into God’s character (as well as apply it to your life and personal relationship with God).
I’ve strategically designed these mini courses so that you gain the biblical knowledge you need–but in a simple, easy-to-digest format. In fact, you can complete each mini course within a week!
And because Relate Escape Place is a community as well, there’s a decided chat thread for each course where you can ask questions, seek clarity, or learn more from other members.
You can also take advantage of the provided tool kits to help take you even deeper into your growth and relationship with God.

Do this by reading the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John which captures the ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
Why is reading about Jesus a hack to trusting that God truly loves you? Because Jesus is a direct and accurate reflection of our Heavenly Father.

In John 14:9 (NLT), Jesus said, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you?”
A few chapters earlier, in John 10:30 (NLT), Jesus proclaims, “The Father and I are one.”

This is a difficult concept for our mere human brains to comprehend. But the big idea is that:

This is why Jesus is saying in John 14:9, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!”
Jesus is not a different being than God; He’s a distinct persona of God just like God the Father is.
This means that Jesus’ character is naturally aligned with God’s character.

This brings us back to focusing on Jesus.
The books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are a great place to go to when you’re struggling with trusting that God loves you.
God’s love is evident throughout the entire Bible.
But because Jesus was born into human history, it can be easier to zero in on Jesus and His character. (And thus God’s character.)
For example, you can:

Look at Jesus’ actions. How He healed people; how He was attentive to them; how He went out of His way to speak to them (like the Samaritan woman at the well mentioned in the book of John–Samaria being a place that Jews tended to avoid due to tensions between the two people groups); how He treated women differently than the culture did at the time, etc.
Look at Jesus’ words. What is He saying to those who came to Him for healing or were suffering? Or in scenarios such as the woman caught in adultery that the Pharisees brought before Jesus? Does He speak words of shame or forgiveness? Is He harsh or tender?
Look at Jesus’ intentions. Was He loving? Or did He seem to have nefarious agendas? Was He out for Himself or focused on serving those in need and doing the will of God the Father? Did He dismiss people or did He speak truth to them even if some chose not to receive it?

It focuses on Jesus as God, which aligns with the goal of understanding God’s true character and being reminded of His love for you.
It includes some unique content and focuses on Jesus’ miracles.

In Relate Escape Place, the third mini course focuses solely on Jesus.
Called Journey with Jesus, it will help you discover who Jesus is and why He’s a reflection of God’s love for you.
Like the other mini courses, it comes with a workbook so you can apply what you’re learning to your own relationship with God.
Again, you can join today in just a few clicks, granting you instant access to this mini course and so much more!