Fully Known & Loved

Hi everyone! It’s Hayley again! I am so glad you are here to join us on this adventure! It has been quite the experience stepping out and sharing through this platform. Today I really want to share about something that hits home with me and has opened up my heart.

Have you heard the song “Known” by Tauren Wells? It has been an absolute favorite of mine over the last few months. If you have not heard it before, I highly encourage you to go give it a listen!

The lyrics of the song include:

“I’m fully known and loved by You

You won’t let go no matter what I do

And it’s not one or the other

It’s hard truth and ridiculous grace

To be known fully known and loved by You

I’m fully known and loved by You”

It is one of those songs that truly makes me feel worthy and loved by our creator. Despite our past or the mistakes we have made, God is there loving us unconditionally. When you look up the word unconditional, it means without conditions or limits. There is no limit on His love for us, for it is never-ending.

With that being said, today I want to focus on what it means to be fully known and fully loved by God. This is a BIG thing because it can be terrifying to think that God, yes the God that created this universe, knows every little thing about you. From the number of hairs on your head, to the number of kids you will have one day and what each of their names will be. He knit you together in your mother’s womb and has a purpose for your life. He knows your thoughts and not a single detail about you is overlooked. The reality of that truth is amazing. God sees right into our messy lives and continually chases after us. This is His unfailing love and grace. He continues to pursue us, even when we betray Him or fail Him daily.

I will confess that I have focused too much on my image and what others think of me. I want others to view me and see my best self. There is a false sense of hope in fitting in the societal standards and expectations.

With these expectations, it seems to be more important to have a higher number of contacts, followers and likes than to have a small number of closer friends with deeper connections and relationships. This false sense of connection can cause unrealistic expectations and lead to loneliness. You may have loads of followers and yet feel like you’re not really included or “known” by anyone. This is not what God wants for us, he wants us to have deeper connections and embrace who we are in Him. He wants us to be there for one another through our victories and our storms. He wants us to truly know each other and feel known by Him. What an incredible feeling that is!

I once read something from Timothy Keller that really struck my attention.

“To be loved and not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is what it means to be loved by God.”

As humans we fear rejection and not fitting in. However, God does not call us to fit in. He calls us to be different, love the unlovable, be patient, be kind, and spread His abounding love and neverending joy to those around us!

A simple reminder: when you see the most beautiful sunset you have ever seen you sit back in awe as you try to take in all of the beauty. The same God that painted that colorful sunset is the same God that created us as His masterpieces.

I pray that throughout your day and week you are reminded that you are fully known and fully loved by God. Despite the mistakes we have made, we have a God who loves us with no ends.

"Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His love endures forever." - Psalm 107:1