Our culture says that ruthless competition is the key to success. Jesus says that ruthless compassion is the purpose of our journey.

Won't the awareness God loves us no matter what lead to spiritual laziness and moral laxity? Theoretically, this seems a reasonable fear, but in reality the opposite is true. . . . The more rooted we are in the love of God, the more generously we will live our faith.

Whenever I allow anything but tenderness and compassion to dictate my response to life--be it self-righteous anger, moralizing, defensiveness, the pressing need to change others...I am alienated from my true self. My identity as Abba's child [a child of God] becomes ambiguous, tentative and confused

Trust is that rare and priceless treasure that wins us the affection of our heavenly Father.

Faith means wanting God and wanting to want nothing else.

God loves us as we are...not as we ought to be. because we are never going to be as we ought to be." --Brennan Manning

You will trust God to the degree you know you are loved by Him.