We have been learning over last couple of weeks on how to be confident in who we are in Christ. Some of the things we have learned are of just how much God Loves and thinks of us and that through faith we just need to believe what He says about us because He does not see us the way we see ourselves.
One of the scriptures we used was Mathew 7 :24-27
Enjoy yourself just where you are and just how you are.
Encourage yourself.
Empty yourself and just be who you are when you spend time with your Father who is in Heaven as He already knows all things right down to how you are, how you think and how you see yourself.
So often we can bring ourselves down and so often we can try to be someone that God has not created us to be, and although we may not be perfect, we are changing little by little every day. When we make mistakes just repent and learn from them and keep moving forward. Listen to Him and try taking some little steps of faith.
God loves each one of us and he cares so much that He holds us in the palm of His right hand.
Psalm 139:9+10
If I take the wings of the morning,
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there your hand will lead me.
And your right hand shall hold me.
Isaiah 41:10 & 13
10 Fear not for I am with you.
Be not dismayed for I am your God.
I will strengthen you.
Yes, I will help you.
I will uphold you with my right hand.
13: For I the Lord your God will hold your right hand.
Saying to you fear not for I will help you.
Isaiah 49:16
See I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands.
John 10:28&29
And I give them eternal life and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. My Father who has given them to me is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of my Fathers hand.
How often do we think or even say I can’t do this or its too hard or think I am not good enough, as we look at others and think that they are more gifted or better equipped etc. however we are all created differently, and we all do things differently and that is absolutely ok.
God has planted each of us where we are for His purpose, and He uses each of us accordingly. We are so privileged, and God loves and equips each of us every day. He is patient He is Kind and His grace and mercy are fresh daily.
Isaiah 55:8&9
For my thoughts are not your thoughts.
Nor are your ways my ways “says the Lord”.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth
So are my ways higher than yours.
And my thoughts than yours
Your ways are higher than our ways.
Esther 4:14
For such a time as this He has planned for each of our lives
There is a verse in Mathew, and it always gives me cause to think and puts the fear of God in me.
Mathew 12: 36-37
For I say to you for every idle word man may speak
They will give account of it in the day of judgement.
I do not know about you but when we say things about ourselves that are derogative its idle words and I shake in my shoes when I think about the consequences of how I sometimes can speak about myself.
God so loved each one of us that He sent His only son to die on a cross.
I was praying with a friend through the week, and she was thanking the Lord for how He was using me, and I had a beautiful vision and realisation of how God was using me right now even although I am not perfect. We can look at others as I said earlier and think we are not good enough and we are not however God looks at each of us and sees the finished result and uses us anyway just the way we are. How good is that.
I want you to think of Jonah who found grace in the eyes of God he tried to run away from God, yet God still used him warts and all you will find that account in the book of Jonah in the Old Testament.
God put him in the belly of a whale to cool down just because he loved him, Johnah could not see how much God could use him and he thought he could run away however God ran after him because he wanted to use him so do not despair because God uses each of us just the way we are amen.
So, depend not on how you are or how you feel use your faith and just trust and believe what God says about you. Sometimes I think we can get so insecure about who we are that we forget just how much God sees, loves, changes, and uses us just the way we are.
Psalm 23:1-6
1: The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want.
2: He makes me to lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside the still waters,
3: He restores my soul.
He leads me in the paths of righteousness,
For His names sake.
4: Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.
I will fear no evil, for you are with me.
Your rod and your staff they comfort me.
5: You prepare a table before me, in the presence of my enemies,
you anoint my head with oil,
My cup runs over.
6: surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.