Monday, January 19, 2015

Not "Who," but "Whose."


I've always been an avid critique of myself. Especially in my early teen years, careful, ruthless examinations constantly ran back and forth through my brain. Being a self-admitted over thinker, I never said "Oh, well. I'll do better." Nope - I just silently added the offending thought to my long list of flaws and slipped it into the ever-thickening file.

But I decided to keep that file. I hammered the box together and climbed in on my own - because I accepted every negative thing about myself that anyone ever said. With each of my own negative accusations, that box became smaller and smaller; harder and harder to get out of every day. Sometimes I didn't want to try.

I wonder if we could look into our own secret files just now. What would we find? "Not pretty." "Too fat." "To slow." "No fashion sense." "Not smart." "Bad in school." "No special talents." "Can't tell a joke." "Socially inept." "Nobody likes me."

 Inwardly curling into a ball, you struggle. you cry. you wish someone would accept you for who you were. The girl in the mirror is boring and tired - tired of not being good enough for anything.

But I'll ask you one, simple question.

Who says you're not good enough?


Dwelling on the implications and laughing glances, you cringe and shrink back further. It hurts.

But, stop, just a minute. Let go of your ideas. Loosen your grip on all the labels you've been dragging around. Did it ever cross your mind that God made you the way you are?

 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? - Romans 9:20

He knew what faults you needed to overcome. (Yes, you do have some.) But he gave you your body, your sense of humor, your tastes, your style, and your thought processes because he needed a "YOU" to play this specific part in his plan.

You don't know exactly what part you were designed to play; but he made you the woman you are so that you could fulfill it. He has dreams for you that aren't like the ones he has for all the people that you think are "above" you. Don't criticize what God decided. He made you to be exactly what He wanted you to be, and He wants His children to be happy.


Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. - Philippians 4:8

PS. Do you faults fit any of those words? Right. I didn't think so.




1 comment:

Bethany Carson said...

Excellent post, Anna! Thanks for the encouragement.