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Monday, 10 February 2014

It is not what you are that holds you back, It is what you think you are not




"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 2:10 NLT)

 But what if you can't see yourself as a masterpiece? What if you just see yourself as the scraps and everyone one else is the masterpiece. Self-esteem has been heavy on my heart recently, so this is exactly what I am going to tackle today. One of the things this generation lacks is self-esteem and boy do we lack it. We are so completely consumed with the perfect Instagram pictures and Pinterest pins that we start comparing everyone’s highlights to our back stage moments. Comparing is your arch enemy, especially for your self-esteem. The more you compare yourself to others the more you are devaluing yourself as a Child of God. Ladies and gents let's not compare our-selves to the people in the magazines because even they don't look like that. Our identity does not lie on a thigh gap, a flat stomach or a 6 pack; now I am not saying that you can't be fit and healthy. I am just tired of my generation putting such a low value on themselves because of lack of self worth and trying to Photoshop our lives to look like everyone else's. We must first find our worth through our Father’s words in the Bible, rather than trying to find it in how many likes or views you receive. At the end of the day finding your value in likes won’t last long, but finding your worth through the eyes of your heavenly Father will last an eternity.

 It is easier said than done, I have experienced this firsthand. It is so difficult to understand your true worth when you try to accomplish it yourself. When you stop trying to find yourself in relationships, in likes, and in praise; The day you let your guard down and stop trying so hard to make yourself feel like someone important; that’s the day He will pick you up and show you your true worth. He will show you that you are worth more than the shiniest diamonds in the world even if you feel completely rejected. You may feel rejected by family members, maybe your father, mother, society, boys, or girls. But know that your Maker loves you beyond compare. That’s why we have such an amazing God.

“Even if my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will hold me close.” Psalms 27:10 NLT

Rejection is one of the toughest feelings to overcome; it lowers your self-esteem and you start believing that maybe you are worthy of rejection. Jesus understands that. He also faced rejection and ridicule. But He was also set apart and appointed to greatness, just like we are all appointed to do greatness.
"Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." John 14:12 NIV

When the feeling of rejection overcomes you, run to Him because He will embrace you and in the sweetest way will say “I know, I felt that too.” Those negative thoughts are all from the enemy, he does not want you to do greater things than Jesus did or for you to see your value. It wont let Satan's kingdom prosper if you start realizing you are appointed for greatness in the name of Jesus. He rather have you in a ball of low self-esteem because he knows your value and worth. How crazy is that! That Satan knows how valuable you are and how important you are in this world that he tries his hardest for you to not see that. That's how amazing you are! That even the devil sees your worth, but you can't...Let that sink in.

Something women and men struggle with is respecting themselves. If I had a penny for how many times a girl or a boy talk negative about themselves I would be a billionaire. That to me is so wrong and I myself struggle with this too. We do not respect the bodies we are living in, we insult it. We don’t respect our own personality; sometimes, we sometimes try to hide traits that are uniquely ours. People can never become all that God wants them to be unless they first respect themselves. We have to decide to stop bringing ourselves down so much. When you are about to say something that goes against what the word of God says about you, you must rebuke it. Not letting negative thoughts have a place in your mind will change the way you see yourself. One of our biggest goals in life is to see people the way Jesus sees them, but we can’t do that if we don’t even see ourselves through His eyes
“Others were given in exchange for you. I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you.” Isaiah 43:4
 
I remember a story I read a few weeks left called “Twenty Dollars” a speaker in a seminar asked his audience if they wanted a 20 dollar bill. Of course all hands went up. He then took out the 20 and he crumbled it, then asked “Who still wants this?” hands were still up. Then he dropped it on the floor and stepped on it with his shoe and asked again if anyone wanted it. Still hands were up in the air. He proceeded to say “My friends, you have learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. IT IS STILL WORTH $20." The moral of the story here is that no matter how dirty, crumbled of thrown you are, your value will never decrease. You are still worth it and you are still loved. As women and men of God, let’s set a goal to see ourselves in a new light but in the light that our God sees us in. Let’s prophesize beauty in our lives and not allow the thoughts of the enemy roam in our mind. I would like for you to repeat this small prayer with me:
“Father God, I thank you for making me and knitting me to perfection. I pray that I may feel the love that you feel for me, always. I thank you for every freckle, wrinkle, strand of hair, and every pound. Everything was perfectly and precisely placed by you to make me who I am. I will no longer disrespect this masterpiece that you have created with love and care. I will no longer entertain the enemy's negative thoughts of me, for I am valuable in the kingdom of God. I will no longer struggle with low self-esteem; and search for my value in the wrong places. I promise to find my worth in you and only you. Thank you once again for making me the way I am, I am made to perfection for the purpose I will carry. In Jesus name amen”
 

I hope this has inspired you to lift yourself up, and those around you. Feel free to email us at twoarebetterthanone1@gmail.com if you are struggling with self-esteem, for it leads to many lonely thoughts and a saddened heart. No one should suffer alone.

 “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. “- Psalm 139:13-16 NIV

 More than enough may I add ;)

With love and grace-Diana

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