Can God Love the Real You?

When we sin, mess up, fall short, whatever… we often run FROM God—not because He has moved, but because shame convinces us that if we’re truly seen, we won’t be truly loved.

We cover ourselves. We hide.
Just like Adam & Eve in the garden.
But don’t just focus on Adam’s failure—look again at what God does.

God still showed up for the walk.
The same walk He had taken with Adam the day before.
Sin didn’t stop God from coming close—it stopped Adam from believing he still belonged there.

(Take that in… it changes everything - if you let it)

Because somewhere deep down, many of us still believe that God only loves the version of us that performs. The cleaned-up one. The one who gets it right.

Shame whispers, "You're only safe when you're wearing the mask."
"You're only loved when you're pretending."

But here’s the test of whether you truly know the Father’s love:
When you fail, do you run to Him… or from Him?

If I’m honest… I’ve spent much of my life running.

Not because I didn’t believe in God’s love—at least not in theory.
I could sing “Jesus loves me” with the best of them.
But shame had taken root deeper than truth had.

I was afraid of what God would say if He really saw me.
Afraid of what people would think if they saw past the polish.

And somewhere along the way, I started believing that the messy, broken, ashamed version of me was the real me…
and the one who stood on stage, led in ministry, or encouraged others—that version must be the fake.

But the truth is: it’s all me.

The part that struggles, the part that shines. The part that doubts, the part that declares.
God doesn’t divide me into acceptable and unacceptable pieces.

He knew exactly what He was getting into when He called me.
Nothing I’ve done has shocked Him. Nothing has changed His mind.

And I wonder…
If I had really believed that from the beginning—
that I was already accepted, already secure, already loved—
how different my life would have been.

How different my choices would’ve looked,
if I wasn’t living to cover shame,
but living from belovedness.

Sin is more than breaking a rule.
It’s a breaking of trust.

It’s the voice in our heart that says:
“I think I’ll be happier doing it my way.”
“Maybe You’re not as good as You say You are.”
“Maybe there’s something better than what You offer.”

And every time we believe that, we run.
We search.
We hide.
But the world is never softer than His arms.

Because the truth is this:

What you believe about God is the most important thing about you.
It will shape how you live, how you love, and where you run.

If you believe He’s angry and distant, you’ll keep Him at arm’s length.
But if you believe He’s Abba—safe, kind, and full of mercy—then even in your mess, you’ll run straight into His arms.

And that…
That makes all the difference.