Our Why
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:8-10
The other day, I asked myself a simple but powerful question: Why do I love God? At first, the answer seemed straightforward. I love Him because He protects me. But as I pressed deeper, layer by layer, my answer grew more personal. His protection matters because it keeps my family and friends safe. Their safety allows me to focus on caring and providing for them. That responsibility brings joy to my heart, which in turn makes me happy. And in that joy, I realize something profound. It makes me feel worth something. My love for God is tied to this truth. Through His protection and provision, I am able to love others, and in doing so, I discover my worth and purpose.
Yet if we are honest, many of us wrestle with this same question. As Christians, we often say we love God but struggle to articulate why. Many of us focus on that very fundamental song we learned when we were young singing, “Yes, Jesus loves me for the Bible tells me so.” Thus, we love Him because He loves us. As we grow, we realize it is much richer and more complex focusing on things such as His grace and restoration. Some days our love feels strong, grounded in gratitude for His blessings. Other days, it feels distant, overshadowed by hardship or doubt. This tension does not mean our faith is weak. It means we are human. God invites us to bring these questions to Him, trusting that He will use even our uncertainty to draw us closer to His heart.
God reminds us that the foundation of our “why” is not what we do for God, but what God has already done for us. Ephesians 2:8-10 give us a foundation for our “why.” They show us that our love for God begins with knowing who He is, grows when we ask ourselves why we love Him, deepens when we are honest with our answers, and steadies when we summarize our faith in His truth.
First, knowing who God is changes everything. He is protector, provider, and shepherd, the One who rescues and restores. Psalm 23:1-3 says, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.” When you begin here, you stop trying to invent your worth and instead anchor it in His unchanging nature. Second, start asking why you love God. The answers will often point to the ways He has shown Himself faithful in your life whether it be through safety, provision, or joy in loving others. Third, be honest in critiquing your answer. If our “why” is centered only on what He gives us, we may miss the deeper truth that His love is not conditional. Finally, summarize it so you are grounded in God-based principles. When we realize our purpose is not just about striving but about living as His masterpiece, our faith steadies and our love for Him deepens.
Understanding why we love God does not question who He is. It deepens our relationship with Him. I found comfort in asking questions and finding answers that not only solidified my faith but made me stronger when sharing it. This week, take one intentional step to live out your “why.” Write it down in a journal or share it with a trusted friend. Let it be simple, heartfelt, and rooted in God’s grace. Remember, your “why” is not built on what you achieve or how much you can prove to God. It rests on what He has already done for you through His grace. You are His masterpiece, created anew in Christ Jesus, and every good thing you do flows out of that truth. Let us remember the words of 1 John 3:1 that says, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are.” As you live in this reality, you will find joy, purpose, and worth because your “why” begins and ends with Him. When you ask yourself, why do I love God, how does your answer reflect both His protection and His grace? In what ways can you live out your “why” this week by loving and serving others? My prayer is we know our “why” in God, to rest in His grace, and to live as His masterpiece with joy and purpose. Amen.