Yesterday I wrote about my/our need to open our arms and receive God’s love welcomingly. Each time I think of this, my mind instantly asks the question, “Are you worthy now?” I then have to remind myself that God has already loved me. I was worthy of God’s love first because He created me in my mother’s womb. I can welcome His Love for me in spite of what I’ve done and what’s been done to me. God has loved me all along.

This truth for me has become a valuable counseling tool. Yesterday a young couple who have been separated for about two months came for their second day session. In this time it came out that the young wife came from a very unloving childhood. While in her teen years she determined she was going to pave her own way in life and not repeat the steps her mom had put her through. In doing this, and because she had been successful breaking away from the grip of her childhood abuse, she needed everyone now connected to her life to be as strong and determined as she had needed to be. On the contrary, her husband had been raised in a loving christian home. There were no real difficulties he’d faced until now in their marriage. Giving and receiving love for him wasn’t even a thought.

As all of this came out in the counseling session I asked the young wife if she struggled to receive love? Her response opened her eyes as well as her young husband. She said, “I don’t know what receiving love is like.” I then asked if she stiff-armed attempts for receiving love rather than accepting attempts with open arms? She began to cry and said, “Yes”. This couple has a long ways to go, but God’s Light is finally shining into what has been a very dark closet tightly protected with lies. It’s so rewarding to see young people receive this Light that I didn’t find for myself until I was much older. God sure knows how to take any struggle and make it into a tool for His Kingdom work. I praise HIM for this!