Bill's Notes

God has been working on me in a powerful way this past week. This has happened before ... these encounters with God always initially involve a recognition of my own sinfulness: Self-involvement. Know-it-all-ism. Grandiosity. This time God showed me something far deeper, my lack of love, and His solution.

The Eastern Orthodox are right. Hell is knowing just how much we have sinned against love. I had a glimpse — just a glimpse — of the lack of love I've shown others. The missed opportunities to listen, the times when I tried to score points instead of trying to understand, when I just shut down rather than try, when I couldn't be bothered.

That would be enough to cast me into a self-loathing little depression, except that this uncovering came at a time when God showed His great love. A sin against love is a sin against God, because God is love. But God who has been sinned against still God, and thus is still loving and merciful. God has saved me from self-loathing and self-pity by helping me to love. I feel joy, not shame or regret or annoyance, in talking with others. Joy! Can you believe it?

Praise God, and may He bless you this day. Hug your loved ones real tight, and give thanks for them.