Do you need love, attention, and acceptance? Do you need meaning, purpose, and success? Every person should think about how what drives them to meet personal needs of love and meaning. Many women and men will do anything for acceptance and attention. Many men and women would do anything for importance and success. The Christian finds that the responsible believer can enjoy God despite desperate situations. God’s compassion and value meets every person’s need for love and purpose.

More than Conquerors

Those who love God are more than conquerors. They are more than conquerors because nothing in all of creation can separate the faithful from the love of God (Rom 8:37–39). In Romans 8:31–39, Paul revealed great wonders of the life set on God. (1) Because God gave His Son, He will not withhold any grace from those who love Him. (2) No one can condemn those who love God because Jesus is at the right hand of God. (3) Nothing in creation can separate the one who loves God from the love of Christ. (4) Therefore, Christians are more than conquerors.

Nothing in creation can separate the faithful from the love of God. People separate from God by selfish sin — coveting the acceptance of others and protecting one’s sense of self-importance. Everyone has alienated oneself from God (Eph 2:1–3; Col 1:21; cf. Eph 4:18). Humanity invents great expectations and holds resentment against anyone in their way. Eventually, many sink themselves in guilt and self-degradation until they gasp to breathe overwhelmed by anxiety and depressing. However, the faithful are more than conquerors. There is another way.

God Loves You

God has seen you at your worst, and God still loves you.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person — though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die — but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Rom 5:6–8).

God’s love for each person does not justify protecting self-importance — a person’s position, influence, and success. People will quarrel and play influences to keep positions in the world and many do this in the church.

God wants us to love our enemies because God loves His enemies (Matt 5:43–45). God, who is love, also hates the wicked (Ps 5:5; 11:5). Yes, God has a love-hate relationship with the wicked. However, God so loved the world that He gave His only unique Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). God loved future believers while sinners and enemies. Paul revealed, “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life” (Rom 5:10).

Many people fear the Christian life because they think they cannot live a successful and acceptable life before God. Should people let their faults keep them from living the Christian life? Many feel guilty for not living up to Christ-like values. “So why try?” God’s love, grace, and faithfulness are powerful. If you fail at business, spouse leaves you, church ignores you, work a menial occupation, can only afford a small house and a used car, you can enjoy the grace, love, and purpose that God gives.

God Gives Gifts

God’s providential grace is powerful in changing lives. Paul declared,

For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me (1 Cor 15:9–10).

God called Paul by His grace revealing His Son to Paul so that Paul would preach to the nations (Gal 1:15–16).

God has purpose and gifts for your life. Every person has an eternal impact on people around them. What can humanity do but love God and follow Christ?

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies — in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen (1 Pet 4:10; cf. Eph 4:7–8).

What kind of gifts come from God’s grace? According to Romans 12:3–8, Christian gifts include proclaiming truth, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving generously, leadership, and mercy. Christians are members of one body, yet have varying gifts according to God’s grace. One is not to think of oneself more highly than another. God gives to each and no one is better than another (1 Cor 12:4–7).

The Christian finds encouragement in God’s grace. God’s gifts fills life with purpose and love. He has created believers in Jesus for good works.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Eph 2:8–10).

For all that we do, we know that God loves us and has given everyone a gift.

God’s Gift of Grace

Each person knows the true reality of one’s own salvation. God loved us while dead in our trespasses. He made us alive with Christ saving us by grace (Eph 2:4–7). Repentant believers are saved by grace through faith (Eph 2:8; cf. Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38).

having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, (Col 2:12–13).

God raises the repentant believers from baptism alive in Christ and forgiven of all trespasses.  Has God raised you to new life from baptism (Rom 6:3–5)?

Do not lose heart. God loves you, and He has equipped you for more.