Search for Love Through God’s Mercy

Danielle Heckenkamp considers the decisions we make daily to seek out God's love and mercy.

It is not fear that drives us, but a lack of love. Fear is too easy to embrace, too easy to fall back upon when times are difficult, and an uneasy substitute for love. We are not meant to live in fear. God the Father sent His Son to show mercy – God the Father’s mercy through the Incarnation. I know, you may say that it’s easier to write or read these words than to brush off the fears and self-loathing that exists in all of us. And as that is true, it is also a path that we must be willing to tread – at least attempt to follow. For isn’t that why God created us – to know Him, love Him, and serve Him in this life and in the next? Such comfort in those words – we know our purpose!

What is this world that we walk through each day, can we hope to step closer to heaven, without a search for love, specifically God’s merciful love? But love doesn’t just appear. It requires work. Love is a choice. God loves us beyond all measure, beyond anything we can fathom. Do we choose to love Him in return, or do we focus on our fear of mysteries we do not or cannot understand and turn away from love?

We cannot find peace without love and the devil despises peace. Satan desires our hearts and souls to be in a constant battle – always searching for the next danger, the next irrational belief, but especially he wants us to be in fear.

God does not promote fear. God is merciful, just, and loving – all rational beliefs. We have a choice – do we search for love and mercy each day and move closer to God? Or do we live in fear, which draws us slowly further from His goodness and Divinity? Due to original sin, our fallen natures are weak and do not always find the love God so desperately gives and desires from us.

Turn toward the Virgin Mary. The love and protection of a mother is beyond limit. She is our Mediatrix that will lead us closer to God as we search for love and mercy. God so very dearly loves us, but it is also our choice to return that love – that is our free will. Love can be given, but in order to grow in love, it must be returned.

Let’s not fall prey to fear and self-loathing during difficult times, for God will never forsake us and His love is beyond comprehensible. He is our source of love and if we desire to grow closer to Him, Christ and Our Lady will assist us in that path. We have a choice – do we choose to search for love and return that love, or do we choose fear which takes us farther from God’s mercy?

This article was originally published at CatholicMom.com and is shared here with permission.