When I make mistakes and feel the subsequent shame I have to strap myself in, grit my teeth and hang on tight to the truth that shame does not come from God. Because if I let go of that truth I find myself plummeting into these soul-crushing lies:

God doesn’t want me.
God couldn’t possibly love me.
God is ashamed of me.
I deserve to feel bad.
I am unworthy of any love.

And now that I have tapped those lies out onto the screen, I see just how ugly they are and I begin to grasp a little of the grief God must feel when he watches those words march into our minds to wound our worth. And as I reflect on that idea God in His gentle way plants a line from a familiar song into my heart:

‘How tender are Your thoughts toward me … countless as the sands of the sea.’

Tender thoughts … The kind of thoughts that never wish harm or heartbreak. The kind of thoughts that always wish joy, peace and contentment. The kind of thoughts that consider their subject to be precious and valuable and worthy of thinking about.

And with that my eyes finally grow heavy, my mind slows, and I hear the whisper clearer:

‘How tender and precious are my thoughts toward you. They are countless as the sands of the sea.

In other words, sleep knowing you are deeply, constantly loved by Me.’