You are loved

Recently when my family and I prayed before dinner, I added my own quiet postscript to God: “Thank you for all of your generous blessings.” And the Lord spoke back to me. “I bless you because I love you.” He does love me. And He doesn’t just love me—He loves you just the same. He loves each of us with the tender love of a caring parent.

Our Heavenly Father’s love is something we “feel” from time to time, but evidence of it is everywhere: this wonderful earth created for us; the gift of God’s own Son to show us the path back to our Father in Heaven; commandments that show us the way forward and protect us from harm. Each of these is a gift of love from our Heavenly Father.

“Your Heavenly Father loves you—each of you. That love never changes. It is not influenced by your appearance, by your possessions, or by the amount of money you have in your bank account. It is not changed by your talents and abilities. It is simply there. It is there for you when you are sad or happy, discouraged or hopeful. God’s love is there for you whether or not you feel you deserve love. It is simply always there,” taught Thomas Monson, former prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (“We Never Walk Alone,” October 2013).

How can we recognize God’s love?

God can reveal his love for us through the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost communicates God’s messages to us. Before Jesus was crucified, he promised his apostles the Comforter—the Holy Ghost—who will “teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance” (John 14:26, see John 14:16). Having access to the Holy Ghost requires some effort on our part. Some of this effort is described in the Sermon on the Mount. We must hunger and thirst after righteousness to be filled with the Holy Ghost. And we must be pure in heart in order to see (and feel) God (Matthew 4:6, 8 all references KJV). As we align ourselves with God, we clear the way for him to reveal himself to us.

Prayer brings us closer to God and opens the way for him to reveal his love for us. Jesus taught us to pray: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matthew 7:7). As we seek him, we will find him.

Bonnie Cordon, worldwide leader for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches, “My dear friends, there is no need to muddle through life alone. We can have heaven’s help. Through prayer we will come to understand who we are and how much we are loved. I testify of the knowledge and miracles that come from communion with our Heavenly Father” (Liahona, February 2021).

Several years ago, I was visiting with a friend in her home. During this visit I had an overwhelming feeling of God’s love for her. It seemed to fill her entire home with the weight and presence of His love. I also understood that this great love of God is for each one of his children. God loves us, now and always, regardless of who we are or how we behave. We can always count on it.

As Paul so beautifully taught in Romans 8, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (v. 35, 38-39).

Know that you are loved.

Beth Wright’s passion is her family and her faith in Jesus Christ. Over the years she has owned several businesses and enjoys being active in nature. She finds great joy being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.