Charles Stanley - Your Life Matters to God

At low points in our lives, we may be tempted to think we don’t really matter to God. The struggles of earthly life can sometimes overwhelm us, eclipsing our fellowship with a heavenly Father who feels so far away. As we study the overwhelming evidence of His infinite care, we’ll discover that God never leaves or forsakes us, and we’ll find security in our true worth as a beloved child of the King.

At low points in our lives, we may be tempted to believe that we don’t really matter to God. The hardships, difficulties, and suffering we experience may seem like evidence that the Lord doesn’t care, but this is not true. Some of the greatest saints in Christian history have endured unimaginable suffering without doubting God’s love for them. Although the Lord has not promised us an easy life, even in the middle of our trials we can know with certainty that our lives matter to Him.

To matter means to be of importance to someone, and that is how God feels about His people. He knows each of us intimately—including our sins, failures, and weaknesses— but still loves and values us. Even in the pain and suffering He allows in our lives, He is still caring for us, and His promises have not failed. God has said that He will never leave or forsake us, and He won’t (Heb. 13:5).

When John the apostle wrote the epistle of 1 John, he was an old man between 80 and 90 years of age. His letter was addressed to believers, and in the first three verses of Chapter 3, he encouraged them regarding God’s love displayed in their salvation.

“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:1-3).

Salvation begins with a realization of our separation from God because of our sin. Then knowing who Jesus is and what He has done on the cross, we trust in Him to save us, forgive our sins, and reconcile us to God. Once we are truly saved, we are forever changed and can never be the person we were before Christ because we are now united permanently to God for all eternity. The guarantee of this assurance is the Holy Spirit who comes to live within us forever.

As God’s children, we are sensitive to sin, and desire to read His Word and live an obedient, godly lifestyle. When we do commit sin, we can come back to the Lord for cleansing, but if we continue in it, He will discipline us as a lovingly heavenly Father. Although God allows trials in our lives for a variety of reasons, sometimes He uses them to turn us back to Him in repentance.