Flawed

Faulty. Imperfect. Inconsistent. Call it what you want, we all have flaws. Something that make us less than perfect. Given the wrong circumstance, those imperfections can seem like the end of the world. Truth is flaws are not always good or bad, they’re just different. The problem is when society tells us our flaws are bad and we believe them.

Don’t get me wrong, if you have a bad habit, especially one that will cause harm to yourself or others, it’s always good to want to improve yourself. It’s also always good to examine the reason why. For instance, I am a huge procrastinator (look how long it took me to post again). Most people would agree that this is a bad habit, a flaw. Does it harm me or others? Not really. Could I be better if I didn’t? Of course. So what is my motivation for wanting to change. Would it be just because others say I should or is it because I want to better my life. If it’s the latter, then why not take steps to improve. But if my flaw is something like the fact that people don’t like the way I talk or the way I laugh, something superficial or out of my control, then why would I torture myself trying to change, just to please others. Sure I wish my voice wasn’t so high pitched and squeaky. But my voice is my own. It makes me who I am. It makes me stand out. When I talk people know that’s me, not just some other random voice in the crowd. So instead of feeling shameful of my flaws, I embrace them (and make changes when necessary).

God did not make a mistake when he made me or when he made you. You are God’s masterpiece and he has a plan for your life, flaws included. We are human. We make mistakes. We fail sometimes. But our strength lies in the fact that God did not. God did not make a mistake. God will not fail. Embrace your flaws and embrace God inside of you.

Forgiven…

Forgiveness can be a tough concept for most people. Can you truly forgive but not forget? Some people think that ‘sweeping it under the rug’ is enough. Some people think that to truly forgive is to forget all that has happened. I think…it’s a little of both.

But why is forgiveness such a hard concept? Maybe it’s because we don’t actually understand what it truly means to be forgiven. When I went through LIFE group (Living in Freedom Everyday), I struggled with forgiveness. I was the kind of person that swept everything under the rug. I said I forgave  but I still held everything inside of me. The problem with this is that eventually everything comes to light. I began to see how petty I could be, holding on to grudges over stupid things. But I also saw how hurt I had been, and how hurt I continued to be. I let people that wronged me how so much power over me. They had authority over my life which kept me from God. My unforgiveness towards others, and towards myself, kept me from God.

Then God showed me the light. He has forgiven me! And because He has forgiven me, I am able to forgive others.
It is not my job to judge others or hold grudges.  And the more I hold on to it,  the less room I have in my heart for God. When you can truly understand the forgiveness of God, the fact that He sent His only son to die for our sins so we may have forgiveness,  then forgiving others is a piece of cake.
If you believe that Jesus died for you, how can you not believe that you are forgiven?

I found that my problem was not forgiving others,  it was forgiving myself.  All too often we are our own worst critics,  living with guilt and shame.  I never believed I was worthy enough of God’s forgiveness.  But again that is not for me to decide.  God is my judge, and He has called me worthy and forgiven.

Forgiveness is not a ‘one and done’ kind of thing either. Everyday we must seek God’s forgiveness. Likewise, everyday we must seek to forgive others and forgive ourselves. Forgiveness doesn’t equal forgetting either. You can’t just forget what happens to you. But forgiving the person helps you move on and helps you grow. We gain wisdom from our past.

So what did I learn? Well I’m still learning, and still working on Forgiveness. But by God’s grace I know I will get there one day. Trust that He has forgiven you and the rest will fall into place.

Much Love and Many Blessings!

I am…

One of the toughest question we can face is “who are you?” I hate when I sign up for some online community and am promoted to describe myself. How do I tell you who I am in 500 words or less without sounding too positive or too negative?  Can I really tell you what I truly think or should I just stick with what you want to hear? Should I be original or just use the cookie cutter response? I used to dread this question until I figured out why. I dreaded it because I put so much stock into how others would respond. I cared too much about they way people would perceive me to be that I forgot the truth of who I am, His truth of who I am.

I am a daughter of the King most high. I am no longer a slave. I am more than a Conqueror through Christ. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am crowned with Dignity and Worth. I am loved. I am His!

This is my truth! I was not made to be defined by the “truths” of the world. I was made to be defined by God.

With all life lessons, this one is easier said than done. I know who I am in Christ but how do I reconcile that with who I am to the world. Because the truth is I am both. I am all that God says I am but that includes how the world sees me. It is my job to make them see the light! Now you could choose to define me by what you see and that’s ok, because I will never let your definition take the place of who God says I am.

Please check out the video posted for an awesome song that I love! It’s called “All He says I am” by Cody Carnes. It’s one of my favorite and most empowering songs! Make it your theme song for the week and challenge the way you define yourself.

 

Much love and many Blessings!