Do you ever feel unworthy of love? Maybe you’ve heard others share how God loves them no matter what, and you feel this sense of hope, curiosity or pull rise up in your heart. Just as quickly, another voice whispers: “Not you. Not after everything you’ve done.”
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many people wrestle with this quiet lie: “I’m too far gone for God to love me.”
However, this is the truth; God’s love isn’t based on your worthiness. It’s based on His goodness.
One of the best examples of this is the story of Paul, formerly known as Saul. Before becoming one of the most well-known apostles of Jesus, Paul was known for something else: persecuting Christians. He didn’t just disagree with them; he literally hunted them down, threw them in prison, and approved of their deaths (Acts 8:1-3).
If anyone seemed “too far gone,” it was Paul.
But then, something miraculous happened. On the road to Damascus, Paul had a direct encounter with Jesus. Instead of punishment, Paul was met with grace. Jesus didn’t shame him. He called him. Paul responded, and his life was never the same.
Paul later wrote:
“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy…” (1 Timothy 1:15-16)
That’s the heart of the gospel. None of us are “good enough” for God’s love, and that’s exactly the point. God loves us because of who He is, not because of what we’ve done.
You don’t have to be perfect to come to Jesus. You just have to come.
Romans 5:8 says: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Let that sink in. While we were still sinners. Not after we cleaned ourselves up. Not after we proved we were “worthy.” Right in the middle of our mess, God loved us.
So if you feel unworthy of God’s love, maybe it’s time to look at that feeling through God’s eyes. You are not too broken, too flawed, or too far gone for Him. The cross isn’t just for the “put-together” people; it is for the lost, the hurting, the ashamed.
It is for people like Paul.
It is for people like you.
It was for all of us.
And, the same grace that met Paul on the road is still available today. Ready to take that next step? Check out our Ready page!