You Are Enough

Then God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness,"

Genesis 1:26

I have struggled with low self-esteem a majority of my life.  I never felt good enough or smart enough; pretty enough or skinny enough.  I always felt like I should be more than I already was.

The world we live in doesn't make it any easier for us, does it?  We are told we have to look a certain way, drive a certain car, live in a certain house, and make a certain amount of money to be successful.

Oh, the lies we believe...  

And that's exactly what they are.  We have an enemy chasing after us.  He wants us to feel small and weak.  He wants us to feel defeated and powerless.  He wants us to believe that we can't do all the things God has called us to do (John 10:10).

But he's a liar...

John 8:44 tells us that when Satan lies, he is speaking his native language.  So that means we have to decide what we are going to believe. 
We can believe what Satan says about us or we can believe what the Lord says.

Psalm 139:13-15 says: we are fearfully and wonderfully made.

Colossians 3:12 says: we are God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved.

Isaiah 43:1-4 says:  we are redeemed, summoned by name, HIS, precious and honored in his sight, and loved.

1 Peter 2:9 says:  we are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's SPECIAL posession.

And...

John 3:16 says:  for God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

God thinks we are worth it.  He thinks we are special and important.  He allowed His Son to die so that we could spend eternity with Him.  That's how much He loves us!

When you are feeling worthless, remember that you are a child of God (Galatians 3:26).  There is NOTHING more important to you in God's eyes.

Face To Face With Evil

Today my ex-husband, biological father of my children, was sentenced to prison for the abuse they had to suffer.  I can honestly say that I was face to face with evil today.

When my oldest daughter and I gave our statements, we made him look us in the eyes. He smirked and glared, showing no remorse. I was not surprised.  My daughter, on the other hand, desperately wanted him to be sorry for what he had done to her and her two sisters.

Sometimes we'll never know the reasons why we have to go through certain things; things so painful that it feels like we will never survive.  Things I know I would have never survived without the love of Jesus.  But I DO know why we had to go through what we went through. We have to show the hurting and broken people of this world that they can overcome. There is victory beyond the battle.  Nothing that has happened is too big or too painful to rise above.

God knows your pain and he is ready and waiting to give you beauty for the ashes.

To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair.  In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.
Isaiah 61:3

Pain in the Promise

The Lord spoke to me a little while ago after a small heartbreak.  With tears streaming down my face, I heard Him say:

"There is pain in the promise."

Then I started to realize just how true that is.  With every promise the Lord has given me, there has been some pain involved.  The same goes with the people in the Bible.  They experienced pain while waiting on their promises.

Abraham and Sarah (Genesis 15).  They were in their nineties when God promised them a son. How hard must it have been for Sarah to watch Hagar give birth to Ishmael, the first born son of Abraham. Her heart was probably broken every time she saw them together.  How hard must it have been to hold on to that promise.  But, God did exactly what He said He would do. He gave them Isaac (Genesis 21).

"Look up at the sky and count the stars-if indeed you can count them."

Then he said to him,"So shall your offspring be."

Genesis 15:5

The crucifixion of Jesus.  The beating. The torture. His innocence.  All for the promise of eternal life.  

And when Jesus cried out again in a loud

 voice, he gave up his spirit.

Matthew 27:50

Jesus was perfect and He suffered.  He suffered for us.  He suffered for love (1 John 4:10).  If Jesus had to go through extremely difficult, heartbreaking, painful times, then so will we.  This doesn't mean His promises aren't true.  This doesn't mean we give up on the things He has told us to do or the things He has promised us would come to pass.  This just means that we have a Savior who knows what we are going through.  We have a Savior who can relate to our pain and our struggles.  We can take comfort knowing that HE KNOWS!

My comfort in my suffering is this:

Your promise preserves my life.

Psalm 119:50

So if your are reading this and you are hurting, remember Jesus hurt too.  You aren't alone in your pain and your suffering.  Turn to Jesus, the Comforter.  Hold onto your promise.  There is victory.

For no matter how many promises God has made, 

they are "Yes" in Christ.  And so through Him the "Amen"

is spoken by us to the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 1:20