There are words we use so often that they begin to lose their weight.
Love is one of them.
We say God loves us, and we believe it—at least intellectually—but many of us still live as though His love is fragile. As though it fluctuates with our faithfulness. As though it grows warmer when we’re consistent and cooler when we fall behind.
But the Bible gives us a word for God’s love that refuses to be reduced to emotion or performance.
That word is hesed.
What Is Hesed Love?
Hesed is a Hebrew word that appears throughout the Old Testament, often translated as steadfast love, lovingkindness, or mercy. But none of those English words fully capture its depth.
Hesed is not fleeting affection.
It is not reactive.
It is not fragile.
Hesed is covenant love—love that binds itself, commits itself, and remains faithful even when the other party falters. It is love rooted in promise, not mood. In character, not circumstance.
When Scripture speaks of God’s hesed, it is describing a love that says, I will not leave. I will not abandon. I will not revoke what I have promised.
A Love That Does Not Depend on Your Performance
One of the most freeing truths about hesed love is this: it does not rise and fall with your devotion.
God’s love does not become stronger on days you pray well. It does not weaken when your quiet time is inconsistent. It is not earned through effort nor threatened by failure.
This does not make obedience irrelevant—but it does mean obedience is no longer driven by fear.
You do not obey to keep God’s love.
You obey because you already live inside it.
Hesed love creates security, not anxiety. It forms a foundation sturdy enough to support honest faith—faith that includes doubt, weariness, questions, and seasons of struggle.
God’s Love Is Faithful Even When You Are Not
We often assume that inconsistency on our part creates distance on God’s part.
But Scripture tells a different story.
God’s hesed is described as enduring, pursuing, remaining. Again and again, God is portrayed as the faithful one—the one who keeps showing up, keeps extending mercy, keeps inviting His people back.
This does not excuse sin. It invites transformational repentance.
Repentance is not a groveling return to a reluctant God. It is a turning toward the One who has already remained near.
Even when your devotion feels thin.
Even when your habits feel scattered.
Even when your faith feels quieter than you wish it were.
God’s love has not wavered.
Held by a Love That Will Not Let Go
You may feel inconsistent, distracted, or unsure of your spiritual footing.
But God’s love for you is not built on your steadiness.
It is built on His.
Hesed love means you are held—even when your grip feels weak. It means God’s faithfulness is not waiting on yours. It means that right now, exactly where you are, His love remains faithful, enduring, and near.
Not because you have earned it.
Not because you have maintained it.
But because this is who He is.
And that kind of love is strong enough to carry you forward.
