How can you know that God loves you?

Quick Answer: How can you know that God loves you? God’s love for us is expressed perfectly in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (Romans 5:8). We may not always feel this love, but over time we can know God’s love more deeply and comprehensively as we set our minds on all that Jesus has done for us (Ephesians 3:19).

Diving Deeper: Hardships hit us, and tragedy strikes. We feel alone, even abandoned. We may even feel something is missing inside: a sense of God’s love. We don’t feel it, so we wonder if it’s there at all. But our emotions often communicate things that are contrary to the truth about God. We may feel that something is true when, in fact, it’s not. Our emotions go up, and down, and all around. They are not accurate indicators of truth.

God’s love is more than a feeling. It’s a reality. Romans 5:8 says God demonstrated His love through the death of Christ. He took on the curse of sin so we might become righteous in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). He removed our sins and made us right with God forever, demonstrating His love toward us (1 John 2:2; John 1:29).

Our role is not to feel God’s love but to know it by faith, and this takes revelation from the Holy Spirit. This is why Paul prayed the Ephesians would more fully know God’s love (Ephesians 3:19). Paul wasn’t praying they would experience a feeling, he was praying for their knowledge of God’s love. This means we’re not dependent on our feelings or circumstances to know the truth of God’s love. What great news!

You can have faith that God loves you, and Jesus has proven God’s love for you through the cross. So, you can wake up every day and simply let the Holy Spirit convince you of His great love for you (John 16:13)!

Let’s Make It a Conversation!
1. How do we often determine if God loves us? Are these ways reliable? Why or why not?
2. Read Romans 5:8. How does this help us know God’s love despite our feelings?
3. What was Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians? Might this be a worthwhile prayer for you? And for others? Why?