Remembering Your Belovedness

Today is the Feast of Jesus’ Baptism and a good reminder that just as Jesus was pronounced God’s Beloved Son, so are we as Beloved Daughters of God.

It’s particularly challenging to see our Belovedness during seasons of longsuffering and waiting. I have experienced many challenges during this season and often, they make me question whether God loves me as much as He loves the girl across the street, or the close friend or family member, who was given her heart’s every desire it seems.

Just because you don’t have everything you’ve desired yet, doesn’t mean God loves you any less. Trust me, there are plenty of women who do not have their every heart's desire.

Recently, I saw that the National Minister of the Secular Franciscan Order that I belong to is married and childless. She works a normal secular job. Who knows what her story is, if she got married late in life, or if she even wanted children, but that woman has a huge impactful role leading our order in the United States. Maybe that was why she is childless. She’s got a big role being a spiritual mother for all of us Secular Franciscan children.

Then I also saw someone say recently on a social media discussion, “If you are having problems with infertility, have you considered that God may want you to make room in your home for a foster child or to adopt an older child? Maybe some wombs are supposed to remain closed because the mother in question has a different calling.” While this person was speaking specifically to infertility, this could be true of singleness or any other struggle to attain a specific vocation that isn't bearing fruit.

And so it is with God and us. Maybe that desire of yours isn’t God’s best for you or the calling He has in mind. Or maybe it isn’t God’s plan right now, but will be in the future. 

Just because we can’t see how all things are working out for our good, doesn’t mean they aren’t, and certainly doesn’t mean that we are any less Beloved to God.

So today and in the new year to come, pray to see your Belovedness, and may God always reveal to you how loved, cherished, and meaningful you are to Him.