Our church, LCBC (Lives Changed By Christ) , did an awesome series recently called Thrift Shop. Bottom line of the series: You are important, worthy, and challenging us to find our self worth in God not others. This last message really hit me in those deeps spots that are often tucked away. Hoping not to surface too often. Those sore spots that show up from time to time and it's not pretty. We all have them. Each one of us has "something" that needs healed from God, some area we try to not talk about or avoid, some part of us we really do not want others to know about. In the spirit of honesty... I'll let you know mine. If you haven't guessed...it is pretty much this one: caring too much what others think of me. AKA wanting to be accepted by others, affirmed, appreciated....basing my worth on what other people think of me. Caring too much about what people will say. You too?
If you can relate to this, then I truly hope and pray that you, and I, will take what this photo says to heart. I pray God helps us to believe this. If you are like me, I read things like the photo above and every part of me yells "YES, this is true!" until the next person makes some comment about me or the next situation arises and I'm doubting myself, wondering if I am accepted. WHAT DO THEY THINK OF ME can sometimes be a louder voice then WHAT DOES GOD THINK/SAY OF ME?
Why is it that the negative comments, the cruel stares and whispers about us from the few....can hurt so much more then positive remarks and love from the many?
Words of Affirmation is my primary love language. If it is also yours then the old saying "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me" means nothing to you. In fact, words DO hurt. Deeply. And if we have enough hurtful language thrown at us over the course of many years, then we can begin to believe them. Believe LIES about us from people, rather then TRUTHS about us from God.
I am challenged....challenged to stop believing the lies. Challenged to start truly believing what God says and thinks about me. Who are people to decide who we are, what we will be or do...what our worth is? God is our creator. He made us beautifully and wonderfully. He loves us deeply and nothing, "neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:39-39
That is the most incredible news! Nothing can separate us from Gods love! People with their bad thoughts and words of us cannot separate us from Gods love and thoughts of us!
My friend, I know it is easier to say and read about, then to do sometimes. In all things, we have to ask God for His help. We cannot do these things on our own, but we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. (Phil. 4:13) We have to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinth. 10:5) So every negative remark you hear, or you think, submit it to God. Then read scripture that affirms what God really thinks of you. Counter the negative voices, with the positive thoughts and words of God. One way to do this is to start writing down , in a journal, on note cards or sticky notes, positive scripture affirmations. Keep it somewhere close by so when the negative thoughts start swarming your mind, you can defeat them with the word of God.
And finally, "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:28-31
Praying for you as you learn to depend on and believe in What God says about you!
~In Christ~
Meghan
