Tip #15: Know that God is Pleased with You (Morning Tips for Night Owls)

This is, perhaps, the most important tip of all. A difficult one to understand and believe, but if we allow its truth to sink deep down into our hearts, it is a game-changer.

Know that God is incredibly pleased with you.

That’s right! He is not looking down with scowl on His face and disappointment in His heart. He gazes on you and me with incredible love. “But, how is this true?” you ask. I’ve asked the same question.

How can God look down on me with full acceptance after I stayed up too late, my attention on the worthless? How can He excuse my laziness and selfishness which led me to miss my time with Him? How can He accept my very feeble, inconsistant, and distracted efforts to give Him the ‘firstfruits’ of my days?

He can — and He does — accept, love, and rejoice over me because of Christ. 

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1 ESV

Christ has already been perfectly obedient for me. God is not looking at me, going “Why can’t you get up earlier?” or “Why did you waste so much time on Facebook last night? Am I not worth your attention?” 

He is not disappointed when I wake up late. My mind has a hard time wrapping its tiny little neurons around this incredible truth. How can God NOT be disappointed in me? How can He NOT see my glaring failures? Though my mind is slow, my heart knows this truth. I have experienced the life-changing encounter with Grace and will never be the same. I pray that you have, too.

If you’re not sure…

If you are wondering how I can say these things with such confidence, maybe you need to accept Grace, too? Reality is, without Christ, you and I stand condemned. But through the sacrifice of Christ, and by His righteous life, we have been given a great gift of acceptance with the Father of all. This gift of salvation is available to all, and is all because of Grace.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV)

All you have to do is have faith. Believe that Jesus did live this perfect life — the one that you and I could never live. Know that you are a desperate sinner — one who needs His righteousness so desperately. Then walk forward in obedient living. Obedience is not what saves us, it is the proof of your salvation. If you have made this declaration of need for Jesus, and have walked forward in faith — today or twenty years ago — there is no condemnation. Rejoice! Our Father in heaven is looking now at you and me — right now — and He is smiling.  

Do you have a hard time grasping this truth? How does knowing that God is already pleased with you change your Hello Mornings efforts?