What if you saw yourself as you truly are...

How many of us can say that we fully carry in our hearts the confidence this little girl exudes in her pose?

If our answer is “Not me.”

I have to ask - when did we stop believing we were fearfully and wonderfully made?

We don't start life believing we aren't enough, it's a thread of lies we learn. Whether it's from the way people knowingly or unknowingly treat us poorly - speak unkind words to us, or something we mistakenly perceive on our own from comparing who we are to the world around us. 

Over time, the lies compound and become something we believe to be true about us and through this lie we make choices that would more than likely be very different if we saw ourselves as we truly are - Capable | Wonderful | Equipped | ENOUGH. 

You see, when God created us He used the words VERY GOOD to describe you and I. We know this to be true because it says so in Genesis 1. We also know that God is only good, He is only light (there is no darkness in Him [1 John 1:5]) - and WE are His image bearers as described in Genesis 1. He made us IN His image and through the sacrifice Jesus made for us, we are restored to God’s original design - which is…you guessed it! Very Good.

So when we entered the story, we entered as Fearfully & Wonderfully Made individuals. Each one of us a unique expression of our Creator endowed with gifts and talents that only we can use and bless others with. Every single one of us is a beautiful note in an eternal symphony. To look at ourselves through any lens other than what God says about us is to dull our sound. Every single note matters - You matter. 

So my friend, I want to ask you to spend some time this week meditating on God's truths about who you are in His eyes. Some of my favorites for this are Genesis 1, and the books of Ephesians and Romans. Write down the promises God speaks over you and the words He uses to describe you - words like chosen, redeemed, forgiven, whole, very good! As you write them down, ask Holy Spirit to inscribe them upon your heart so the old lies cannot live there anymore. Jesus paid it all my friend, you are healed and whole.

I hope this encourages you to see yourself as you truly are.

You are loved.