Beautiful Earth
Latter-day Saints Channel

God’s Love Is Within Reach

11/03/18 | 2 min read

By Mary Edwards

Does God Love Us?

“The night air is getting colder,” I sighed. I knew that my time as a summer camp director was coming to an end. While I looked up at the stars, I couldn’t help but feel like there was something out there greater than me. An outpouring of God’s love filled my heart.

Many years later I walked the streets of Kathmandu, thinking about my work. I passed three young children who were huddled together. They looked exhausted, lying asleep on the hard cement walkway.

As I walked past those children, I felt unsettled. Who were they? When did they eat last? Where were their parents? Why is it that some people have everything while others have nothing? If circumstances were different, those could be my children.

Experiences like this can make us wonder how to find hope when injustices abound. Where can we turn for peace when life’s struggles stare us in the face? Does anyone care in a world that can seem indifferent?

God’s Love for Humankind

In that moment of deep thought, I found comfort in remembering God’s love. He loves us enough to have sent His Son to earth. His Son fed the hungry, clothed the naked, healed the sick, and comforted the lonely. His infinite love changed hearts, healed minds, and comforted suffering souls.

That day in Kathmandu, my tears flowed for those children. God’s love opened my eyes to their suffering and motivated me to get involved. I realized that poverty exists, but we can donate our time and resources. Sickness and death exist but we can extend needed assistance. Loneliness exists but we can provide comfort.

Joseph Smith said: “A man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race.”

Finding True Hope and Peace in God’s Love

There are instances when we lose sight of our personal worth. We may feel like we just keep making mistakes, and we wonder why we should keep on trying. In those moments, remember that we are not as “hopelessly flawed” as we may think.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, “Even when you think that you are not lovable. . . this very day, [God] reaches out to you, desiring to heal you, to lift you up, and to replace the emptiness in your heart with an abiding joy. He desires to sweep away any darkness that clouds your life.” We can take comfort knowing that God’s love is available to us, even in our most difficult and challenging times.

There’s a reason we look to the stars and marvel. God’s love gives us a clear vision of who we are and where we are going in life. His love motivates us to keep trying. He wants us to reach beyond ourselves and show His love to others. You matter, I matter, and those three children sleeping on that street matter. He will not leave us comfortless. His love is real. We are never alone.

Martin Luther said, “God writes [His love] …on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars.”

How have you experienced God’s love?

How can you share God’s love?


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