God Only Knows

Although I’m a writer, my only attraction to poetry is through song lyrics. To me, poets say so very much with so few words. While a poem can be very deep, because of its brevity, I find myself skimming the surface and missing the heartbeat of the poet. This particular fact is not lost on me with regard to the things that God only knows about me and who He says I am to Him. There are times when I just skim the surface, and when I do, I miss the rhythm and deep revelation of His heartbeat for me.

During the month of February, I’m going to personally treat each Monday blog post as if it were Valentine’s Day. I’m going to choose lyrics and songs that remind you how intimately God knows you and the lengths He will go to in order to show you His love.

No need to worry though because what I’m going to share does not require any Valentine pre-qualifiers meaning your relationship status does not disqualify you. With Christ, it’s quite the opposite. No matter how many titles you fulfill or labels you’re given Christ sees through them all and into who He created you to be.

In each of my February posts, we’ll take a look at the simplicity and depth of poets as seen in music. Believe it not, God is the perfect poet after all the Bible with all its symbolism, layers and depth is one big love letter to us.

May this week and the weeks ahead draw you into one of the most powerful ways to experience God through the beauty of lyrics and music. May it move your heart to respond to Him in gratitude and saturate you in a deep-seated joy to know you are loved just as you are.

Take a look at the song lyrics for “God Only Knows” by for KING & COUNTRY. It’s a love letter to you, sweet friend. Take the time to read the words, listen to the song, and hear the heartbeat of His infinite love for you.

This Week’s Artist: for KING & COUNTRY
Featuring lyrics from “God Only Knows”
YouTube Music Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5cPQg3oq-o

Wide awake while the world is sound asleepin’
Too afraid of what might show up while you’re dreamin’
Nobody, nobody, nobody sees you
Nobody, nobody, nobody would believe you
Every day you try to pick up all the pieces
All the memories, they somehow never leave you
Nobody, nobody, nobody sees you
Nobody, nobody, nobody would believe you

God only knows what you’ve been through
God only knows what they say about you
God only knows how it’s killing you
But there’s a kind of love that God only knows
God only knows what you’ve been through
God only knows what they say about you
God only knows the real you
There’s a kind of love that God only knows

There’s a kind of love that
There’s a kind of love

You keep a cover over every single secret
So afraid if someone saw them they would leave
But somebody, somebody, somebody sees you
Somebody, somebody will never leave you

God only knows what you’ve been through
God only knows what they say about you
God only knows how it’s killing you
But there’s a kind of love that God only knows
God only knows what you’ve been through
God only knows what they say about you
God only knows the real you
There’s a kind of love that God only knows

There’s a kind of love that
There’s a kind of love
There’s a kind of love that
There’s a kind of love

For the lonely, for the ashamed
The misunderstood, and the ones to blame
What if we could start over
We could start over
We could start over
Oh for the lonely, for the ashamed
The misunderstood, and the ones to blame
What if we could start over
We could start over
We could start over
‘Cause there’s a kind of love that God only knows

God only knows what you’ve been through
God only knows what they say about you
God only knows the real you
But there’s a kind of love that God only knows
God only knows what you’ve been through
God only knows what they say about you
God only knows the real you
There’s a kind of love that God only knows

There’s a kind of love that
There’s a kind of love
There’s a kind of love that
There’s a kind of love

God only knows where to find you
God only knows how to break through
God only knows the real you
There’s a kind of love that God only knows

What keeps you awake? Relentlessly haunts you? Even tortures you? Something that has been done to you, or maybe something you’ve done?

No matter what it is, we have somewhere to take our incredible pain and nagging guilt. And, not just somewhere but we can give it to Someone. That Someone is the God of the Holy Bible, who waits patiently, ready to ease our burdens. Through His Son, Jesus Christ, He offers us a place where guilt and shame are absorbed. You’ll never hear Him use our mistakes against us. Ever.

If we hang onto our pain, beating ourselves up, feeling like we’ll never be good enough, then the only thing we experience is the condemnation that keeps us enslaved. Feeling like you’ll never be good enough is simply saying you’ll never be “God enough.” And it’s true, you never will. So trade that false belief for God’s redeeming love, unfailing mercy, and extravagant grace.

In the midst of life’s unexpected twists and turns, you can confidently insert two incredibly powerful words into your situation. But God! He sees what no one else can see and knows what no one else can know. He sees how others have treated you and knows how their jagged words tear into your heart. Once when I was crying out to Him, He spoke gently into my heart saying, “I know. I saw what they did and I’m so sorry they made those choices.” He was hurt too. It seemed incredibly painful for Him to see me suffer.

His heart is always and forever tender toward us, even when we’re the offender. He opens His arms to us and lets us find rest in Him. He offers us a place to pour out our nightmares and lay them at His feet. He is the place where condemnation goes to die. Out of His great love, He offers us the opportunity to trust Him for a do-over, a clean slate, a new start.

Because nothing is hidden from Him, consider trusting Him with your heart. He desires an intimate relationship with you so be vulnerable and share yourself with Him. He is trustworthy.

Part of His love for you means He’ll never force you to share something or do anything you wouldn’t freely choose to give or do on your own. That, my precious sister, is true love, and it’s found in the unique person of Jesus Christ.

NOW LIVE LOVED and THRIVE!

Self-Reflection

These questions are in no way a substitute for healthcare professionals or any level of professional counseling. I’m an advocate for taking care of oneself mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. These questions reflect my heart, NOT my profession.

This questionnaire is an opportunity to journal your thoughts and feelings. It can serve as a launching pad on which to evaluate your heart condition as you understand it. My hope is that you will take the truths you discover about yourself and hold them up to the Light to evaluate them against who God says you are.

• What is something that is weighing on your heart today?
• Have you given it to God or are you keeping Him at arm’s length?
• If you’ve given it to God, why do you think it still weighs on your heart?
• If you’re keeping Him at arm’s length, what is causing you to keep it from Him? (ie fear, guilt, shame)
• Do you believe that God loves you? Explain and talk to Him about your thoughts/feelings.
• Do you believe that God forgives? Explain and talk to Him about your thoughts/feelings.
• Have you ever allowed God to forgive you of your sins? What did that feel like?
• Can you agree, God would never make you say/do anything you wouldn’t want to? Elaborate
• What does it mean to you that God created you in His image?

Talk to God about your answers. Offer Him something you’ve been guarding and hanging on to and ask Him what He wants to give you in exchange. Ask Him what He wants to be fore you in your situation.

Give Him praise, ask Him questions and then listen for His gentle response.

Take Action

Use God’s word to take control over the traumas in your life.  Whenever you feel terrorized by your thoughts take them captive by replacing them with the truth of God’s promises in His word.

Here is a scripture for you to print, cut and carry with you and/or post in places where you will see it often. Ground yourself in God’s truths not Satan’s attacks. Encourage your heart and mind every time you are reminded of His great love for YOU!

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)

When you read God’s love letter to you think about it along these lines: Love is the greatest desire of God’s heart and it all starts with His example of love for me. In God’s heart, Love is the supreme choice and He is constantly showing His love to me.