Feelings change, people change, we change, but the word of God never changes.
“Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled in Heaven.”- Psalm 119:89
I made a phone call to a friend one morning, seeking advice. I told them how yesterday I felt strong and confident but that morning I felt like I was failing. They simply told me “you think too much.” and they were right.
Maybe you’re like me, or maybe you aren’t but hang on just for a minute.
It’s not uncommon to hear a person frustrated by another say things like, “it’s my life!” or “you don’t even know me”. That way of thinking leads one to think that no one knows us better than we know ourselves. On one hand a little true, we do often know ourselves better than most people do but It’s not that uncommon to feel like you don’t know yourself well. Especially when we change so much over time.
What do you identify with? We endure a lot of things in this life. Many times without realizing it even, we can begin to identify with a circumstance, words spoken to us, or the things or people that surround us.
When we place the weight of our identify in anything other than God we can be left unsure how to feel about ourselves. Your identity in Christ or not, everybody has bad days where they don’t feel as great but when you find your identity in Christ you have a solid place to lean, to be reminded by the truth of his word who you are and set you right again. Unlike the things of this world that often fail, often walk away, often have your back one day and not the next.
If we look to others, our achievements, or failures to tell us who we are we will never be confident in the identity Christ wills for us.
Looking to temporary things, they compile like ingredients thrown into the pot our boiling over self esteem; giving us a good or not-so-good perception of ourselves.
So on that Monday morning when i was feeling defeated, I realized I didn’t know myself as well as i thought. That friend said something that struck a chord in my spirit.
“The more you think on yourself , the less you think of yourself.”
I realized that i had been so caught up trying to fix myself, i forgot who I was.
Who exactly was I trying to become?
Who was I doing it for?
What was so wrong with me?
All those ingredients that make up who you are, well, they’re not you. For example, many things go into a cake; eggs, water, oil, flour, etc.. but we don’t call it all of those things. It’s just a cake.
God has already spoken your value and your worth over you, all those ingredients may make you up but they don’t make you any less.
Get out of your head- and into the word.
“Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled in Heaven.”- psalm 119:89
I had been a self esteem roller coaster because I identified myself with whatever I did right/wrong that day; whatever surrounded me. I spent so much time being my biggest critic that I couldn’t properly love God or others.
So, if you are like me; if you think too much , always trying to figure it all out..
1. Examine yourself
What are you defining your worth by?
All the opinions of man (including yourself, yes, even you), your passions, your highs and lows will all pass away. The only thing everlasting is Jesus and His word. His word that is settled in Heaven, allow His standing truth to settle in you, too.
2. Stop thinking so much
You don’t have to figure it all out. You are not defined by your works [eph.2:8-9].
You are the beautiful creation God formed with His own hands, filled with His breath, fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of the Trinity. You are Abrahams dissent one of the twinkling stars in God‘s promise of years ago. You are a chosen generation and a royal priesthood, a friend of the most high that He holds in his hand. Sons and daughters Of The King, He has clothed you in a garment of salvation and covered you with a robe of righteousness. You are the reason Jesus came and the reason He will come again. Your name is engraved in Christ’s hands and He thinks of you, he rejoices over you; joys over you with singing he has numbered the hairs on your head and knows your name.
[ Genesis 1:26-27, 2:7, Psalm 139:14, Genesis 15:5, 1 Peter 2:9, John 15:5, 10:28, 2 Corinthians 6:18, Isaiah 61:10, Romans 5:8, John 14:3, Isaiah 49:16, Jeremiah 29:11, Zephaniah 3:17, Luke 12:7, Psalm 91:14 ]
Pick up the word of God and identify yourself with Christ, He knows you better than you know yourself; Trust Him, believe Him.
Oh, and even on your worst day the above is true. You are valuable, you are His.
Don’t think so much.