No Need to Perform

Yesterday, Shae had a mini holiday performance for her dance class.

When she saw us in the crowd she was immediately sad and came over to us.

She, then, tried to perform with me by her side, but got sad again and nestled into my arms.

Her class had a couple different numbers and I asked her a few times if she would like to try again.

She tried once more but ultimately just wanted to sit with her mama.

I ran my fingers over her hair continually, holding her close and tight whispering, “I love you so much,” as we watched her classmates finish up their performance.

Afterwards, two separate times,

I took Shae’s two hands into mine,

got down on her level,

locked eyes with my precious girl and said,

“Did you know that mom loves you the exact same whether you were to do your dances or not? Mama is so proud of you. You are so loved.”

She nodded her head and smiled.

Most nights, when cuddling my bigs in bed we go through this catechism together:

“Why does mama/dad love you?”

And they answer,

“Because I’m your son/daughter.”

“Is there anything you could do to make me love you more or less?”

“No!”

“That’s right I love you more than you could ever imagine and nothing you do, good or bad, could ever change that!”

“Okay, most importantly, why does God love you?”

“Because I am His son/daughter.”

“Is there anything you could do to make God love you more or less?”

“No!”

“Correct, He already loves you way more than you could ever imagine and nothing you do, good or bad, could ever change that!”

Friend, maybe you never heard that growing up, instead you felt and experienced the opposite.

You were taught, or rather shown, that you must perform to be loved.

You must prove yourself worthy to those around you in order to be wanted. Even by God.

I pray that you would know that God isn’t asking you to perform for Him.

He doesn’t love you more because you read your Bible today and He doesn’t love you less because you are still struggling with that same sin.

I wonder if you maybe know in your head that God loves you the same no matter what,

but deep down you believe and function as though He would love you more if you would have just done the holiday performance.

If you would just read your Bible more, have a little more faith, or finally figure out that sin struggle— God would surely love you more.

I want to remind you again, that is not true.

If your trust is in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection for the forgiveness of your sins—

God loves you, treasures you, and delights in you, right this moment, more than you could ever imagine.

Not because of anything you have done or didn’t do,

but because of what Jesus already accomplished for you on the cross.

You are now a beloved daughter.

Set apart. Chosen. Treasured.

You have been adopted and brought into the fold.

He is, indeed, smiling at you, my friend.

He is brushing back your hair,

holding you close to His chest, whispering,

“Oh, precious child of mine, I love you so much.”

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,

nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39