Whatever! Week 2

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This post appeared first on Jacqueline Heider’s Blog, Dancing in the Rain at jacquelineheider.com

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Because the world is so loud, it is often difficult to tell the lies from the truth. This is especially true with regard to the things we think and hear in our thoughts about ourselves. This week we will discover truth about the things we “think on” about ourselves. Hopefully, we will decide to four-eight the negative thoughts and replace them with truth from God’s Word. Here we go …

Thoughts of Self

Most of us are our own worst critics! We generally don’t think of ourselves through the lens of Philippians 4:8. Our vision is skewed. We don’t see that which is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, or worthy of praise. We see the opposite. We view our bodies through a faulty lens, our thoughts about ourselves are generally neither honorable, just, pure, lovely or commendable. We don’t see ourselves as excellent or worthy of praise. Truthfully, many of us have the opposite points-of-view. We see lies, we see faults and failures, some see themselves as unclean, ugly, and unworthy. We view ourselves as common, and we disrespect and devalue that which God has created for His glory.

Do you know what we do when we think these things about ourselves? In reality we devalue God. We make Him out to be deceitful, imperfect, and unworthy of praise and glory. We have got to stop!!

Let’s look at some encouraging and loving thoughts from God’s Word to help us discover how precious we are to Him!

Read Psalm 139 and answer these questions.

#1 Go verse by verse and write down what this passage tells you about the relationship between God and man.

Example:

  • Psalm 139:1 – God searches me and knows me
  • Psalm 139:2 – He knows what I do and what I think
  • Psalm 139:3 – God knows my path and is familiar with my ways (i.e. my tendencies – good and bad)

#2 What does Psalm 139:14 say about the way you are made? Circle or highlight it below.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.Wonderful are your works;
 my soul knows it very well.

 Do you feel like you are a wonderful work?

#3 In Genesis God is introduced as Elohim the Creator. Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God (Elohim) created the heavens and the earth.”  Now if you continue reading in Genesis, you see that God created man and woman. That means He created you and me. Again, what does Psalm 139:14 say about the way we are made?

Keeping that in mind, is there anything about yourself that you don’t like? Perhaps it’s the way you look, your abilities, the way you talk, your personality, your talent. Identify it.

Can you choose to rest in the fact that Elohim – Creator God – made you for His exact purpose. Would that help you think on that which is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable about yourself?

Let’s talk about our true identity for a moment. Read Isaiah 43:1 – 7.

Verse 7 is key here. It says: Whom I created for my ____________, whom I formed and ______________.

We were created for God’s glory and that is our main purpose in life.

 

Glory means to give the correct opinion or estimate of something (specifically God).

If our purpose is to give God glory, then we need to live our lives in such a way that we do just that. We need to make sure we are giving others a correct opinion or estimate of God so that we can bring Him much glory.

What thought patterns about yourself do you need to “four-eight” in order to bring God glory?

Can you view yourself from God’s eyes for just a moment? Write down what you think  He sees. (Remember that God doesn’t make mistakes. He has created you and only you for His purpose and glory.)

Now read Psalm 139:23-24 as a prayer asking God to show you if there is any grievous way in you. Ask Him to try you and know your thoughts, then ask Him to realign your thoughts about yourself to match His thoughts about you. Ask God to give you a correct view of yourself so you can have a right view of Him.

Does this encourage you to see yourself differently? I hope so, my friend. God loves you! He created you and has a plan and purpose specifically for you. You are a lovely sight to Him!

For further study read Colossians 1-3 this week and discover what “Christ in you” means for the believer. Because He is in you, there is hope – glorious hope! This should give you wonderful thoughts about wonderful you!

Blessings fearfully and wonderfully made one!

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