Nathan Wendling

My reason for hope in this season of life is that my adoption as a son of God frees me from self importance for a life that exists to glorify Him.

‍

My life since following Jesus has often been marked with feelings of spiritual inadequacy. One main way this shows up is the lie that my life and story are “not enough”. Not enough to convince someone Jesus is worth placing your hope in, and not enough to convince myself that I do need Jesus. These lies are rooted in sinful comparison and insecurity, but the greatest cost is that it takes the spotlight away from God’s grace and on to me. It takes the power out of His love and puts the pressure on my performance.

‍

By the grace of God, I’ve been blessed with a life that has hardly had any unexpected turns. While this still is often a source of insecurity and makes me feel unequipped to face trials, God has shown me that it is a beautiful thing to smile and praise Him when the sun is shining on your face. Our adoption as children of God reminds me that His love for us is not contingent on what we bring to the table, yet that He sees our sin and still calls us beloved. Our lives as children of God are not ultimately about us, but resting in the love of the Father as we bring Him glory.

‍

A tangible gift from God to remind me of these realities is that of my wife being pregnant with our first child. Although I haven’t even seen his face, God is already using the love growing in me to show the smallest earthly taste of how deep His love as a Father is for us. I can hope in that love that was demonstrated on the cross as an assurance that every one of God’s promises will come to pass whether on this earth or in eternity.