I’ve been reading a lot lately and most of the books aren’t titles that I ever anticipated having a place on my nightstand. Even so, there’s much to be learned and this is the season that God has chosen for me to learn about myself and the people closest to me. I’m on a mission.
It’s my responsibility to myself more than to anyone else to discern where I came from as a child to who I am now.
I’ll start by once again stating that I know who I am in God today. I am precious to Him; I am forgiven for all things; I am loved; I am understood. He knew all the days of my life before they happened~nothing has taken Him by surprise.
I also know that He knows the why’s and how’s and wants me to be whole…which is why He has brought so much to light.
Yesterday, I was fearful. This morning, I’m reminded that fear will paralyze me from growth. Fear is the opposite of love and fear is the enemy speaking directly into my life. Since the enemy controlled my thought patterns about myself and others for a very large portion of my life, I know how damaging that can be. Simply put, the only opinion of me that matters is that of Christ.
Do I want my family and friends to like, love and respect me? Of course I do. I think we all want that…but if I’ve done everything Christ has asked me to do and I’ve forgiven the things He wants me to forgive and I’ve taken ownership and responsibility for my parts in events and I’ve spoken the things He wants me to speak and I’m going to lean on his promise that all things work together for good…then I have all I need.
I don’t have to search for love anymore.
Father, thank you for that. Thank you so much for that.
I can be full of peace right where I am because that’s the gift He has given to me ~ the gift He has extended to anyone who believes in Him. Grace and forgiveness and more love than our hearts can begin to imagine.
Don’t let anyone tell you what you are. Know who you are in Christ and encourage them to know who THEY are in Christ.