God's Love Has No Limits

St. Paul wrote, "To keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.' So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me." (2 Corinthians 12:7-9)

We all have weaknesses, although they are probably different from the weakness that Paul never really explains to us. We order a burger and fries when we know perfectly well what it will do to our cholesterol level. We are impatient with the slow person ahead of us in line at the grocery store, because we have important (to us) things to do. We judge others based upon their appearance, or their accent, or the car they drive. We spend more time at work than we do with our families, and then justify it to ourselves because we are "providing for them." We get angry with loved ones when they don't live up to our standards or expectations. We stop listening when we're with someone who has an opposing point of view on our favorite issue. We don't answer the telephone or respond to emails and text messages when we're "not in the mood." We take for granted the things that others do for us on a daily basis, and don't ever say "thank you."

We are so very lucky that God's grace is unconditional, and that God's love has no limits. He has infinite patience with us, and waits for us to seek him out. He doesn't judge us when we exhibit our weaknesses in all their glory. He doesn't get angry with us for living up to His standards (and they must be very high!). He doesn't get impatient when we do the same stupid things over and over again. And he never stops listening to us ... even at those times when we don't know that we're communicating with him.

When we are depressed, God is there to lift us up. When we are anxious, God is there to calm us down. When we are sick, God is there to give us patience and courage. And when we are thoroughly disgusted with ourselves, God is there to remind us that we are made in His own image and -- as I read somewhere in a Facebook post -- "God didn't make junk."

He always gives us another chance.