How do I know that God loves me? Well, there is no real simple answer; it’s rather complex actually. However, as confident as I am that I have hair on my head (and I do), and as confident as I am that I have a wonderful wife and a beautiful little girl, I am confident that God loves me.

There are many reasons that I know God loves me, but for now I just want to share three of those reasons.

The first reason is the most convincing and the most wonderful reason. The Bible tells me that God loves me and demonstrated this love to me by pursuing a relationship with me at the cost of His own life. He died to secure a relationship with me. Not only this, but He rose from the grave, then called me to receive this relationship, convinced me of my need of this relationship, and graciously gave me His new life.

The second reason might sound a little strange to most, but God kindly afflicts me. Affliction, in the world’s eyes, is usually not associated with love, but God is constantly reminding me that I am satisfied most when I am enjoying my relationship with Him. So, recently He has brought about many trials in my life. A few weeks back we had a circumstance where many things in our trailer broke. Life would be a lot simpler if we did not need a microwave/oven, refrigerator, entertainment systems, or space heaters. The truth is we often get content with life and even start to float along enjoying our lives as if life itself was what we were trying to gain. On top of this, my truck, which pulls my house from week to week, started to freeze up on turns – this turned into quite an ordeal, the ball joints needing to be replaced, as well as the steering column needing various parts replaced. So, how is this love, you ask? Well, God very kindly, in mercy, allowed me to see that the things of this world don’t provide me the satisfaction that I was created to have. Yet with my near sightedness, I often cannot see the beauty of my Savior, Jesus, because I get my focus on things that are made with hands. In love, God afflicts me to remind me that I can run to Him and find all my heart’s desires.

The third reason I know God loves me is that He blesses me. He does not just afflict me to show me my sinful and idolatrous heart, but He constantly pours out His blessings on me. In the last year, I have been blessed with a little girl – Evangeline Mercy. She is such a joy and a bundle of fun. But with increasing family come the trials of more spending and more responsibility. Since having the baby the Lord has graciously provided a house (a beautiful 5th wheel trailer), a truck, TONS of baby stuff, daily food, vacations, work, money, and even more. All of these things cost a lot of money, but we have had to shell out relatively little compared to what has been given to us freely. Take for example this last week, I took the truck in to get fixed – it was going to cost me over $1,300. I went to pick up the truck, resigned with the fact that I was going to have to foot the bill and was even trying to look at the bright side (look at all the miles I will get on my Delta credit card!). As I went to check out, the clerk told me that someone had called in that morning and paid the entire bill and wanted to remain anonymous! Wow! Unexpected - Yet, very expected – that is just how Jesus works. Constantly providing for our needs. Even a trip to Jerusalem for my further education has been provided for and I have not had to pay anything. I could write story after story adding up to thousands and thousands of dollars that have been provided. God is always faithful to take care of my family and me!

So, God loves me because He gave me a relationship that I did not deserve, He constantly reminds me that I need Him through life trials, and He continually provides for my daily needs and even many wants! I know God loves me! I then am immediately rebuked. Do I love people? For how will I know that the love of God abides in me? If I love others! I pray that God will allow my family and I to be a blessing to others so that they too will be able to say with confidence, “God loves me!”

-Josh Roland