God Loves What You're Doing
If you’ve been a Christian for a while, you have probably heard and on occasion repeated the saying, “God loves the sinner, but hates the sin.” It’s a response often offered when we are accused of being hate-mongers for condemning sinful actions. We can sincerely repeat it because we have a stake in it being true. It is essential for all of us that God loves us, despite our sinfulness: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”[Rom. 5:8 NIV] It brings comfort to our own hearts knowing that God has always loved us, despite what we’ve done, and that He wants us to enjoy a new life with Him in Christ.
It is right for us to celebrate and make famous God’s unconditional love. It is good to remember that we can neither make God love us more or make Him love us less; God is love and He has held nothing back from us. While every analogy of God is imperfect, His love is certainly reminiscent of the love that a good parent has for their child. Whether the child is an academic whiz or a dropout, whether a sports superstar or one who only excels at picking daisies, whether her musical abilities be of Beethoven’s kind or the kind that can’t even carry a tune in a bucket, good parents love their child regardless, no more, no less. This love even extends to more serious instances of failure as our children go on with their lives. We will love our children, when no one else will.
At the same time, having all once been children ourselves, we likewise know what it means to desire the approval of our parents. Even if we knew that they would always love us regardless, we nevertheless desired to do things that would bring joy to their hearts, that would make them proud of us. To us, their approval, their joy, gave greater worth, gave meaning to those things that we did. And often, that was enough for us.
Like our parents, but infinitely more, we know God loves us unconditionally. We also know, as indicated by that common phrase above, that He hates sinful actions, as would any good parent. However, aside from these truths, we might also ask, “What about our good actions? How does God respond to those?”
I think we have tended to shy away from this question in evangelical circles because we fear any appearance of suggesting salvation by works, as though God might love us more for what we do and thus save us on that basis. Biblically, we know this is not the case. But how then do we understand passages like 2 Corinthians 9:7?
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Is it the case that God loves those who cheerfully give more than those who do not? Here we need to differentiate between “who” God loves and “what” God loves. “Who” God loves is us, all of humanity. “What” God loves are those good actions taken by those whom He loves. Accordingly, God does loves cheerful giving more than non-cheerful giving, but He continues to love both kinds of givers, the “who”, the same.
I have come to reflect on this of late because of some “unseen” sources of suffering in my life. They are unseen in the sense that they are hidden from most people but are quite burdensome in my life. I remind myself that God sees it. He knows exactly what I’m going through and He sees how I’m responding. However, I have still struggled with the feeling that it is all meaningless – no one is able approve, encourage, or celebrate my response. Perhaps this reveals a bit of pride, that I would at least prefer some modest personal glory for my suffering - the approval and admiration of others. I have been left grasping for the meaning in it all.
Then I considered again that God sees me. Can meaning be found in that? I think so. While God doesn’t love me any more or less because of how I respond, He does love what I’m doing when I respond rightly in the face of suffering. And that’s enough to dispel any notion that this hidden suffering is meaningless. I am running across the field of play, making my Father proud. We have all been called to offer up ourselves in just this sort of way:
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship. ([Rom 12:1 NIV]
Perhaps, like me, you are suffering some “unseen” trial and are struggling to find the meaning in it all. Take heart, the Father sees you, and He loves what you are doing when you make your good response. Your meaning is found in His eyes.
Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.