Every once and awhile (or if you are me, every day!) your brain goes into freak out mode. An entire false reality sets up shop in your brain and you think that the world is out to get you. Thoughts such as, “I am not worth anything,” “I am not good at anything,” or “There is nothing of any value in me,” start meandering through your brain. What is the deal with that!?!?
I lean on God’s Word with an everlasting fervor and it says in Psalms 56:3-4: “When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?” So the question remains, if I lean on God’s Word and believe it to be flawlessly true than what do I really have to fear? There is not a word, glance, or thought in this world that should be able to bring me down.
The lovely teens in my small group admitted that even when they want to believe in God, rely on Him, and live for Him they can’t because they are too afraid of ridicule from their friends. I get that. Most of us spend way too much time thinking about what others think. A lot of times it just seems easier to go with the flow and not make any waves that draw attention to yourself. I guess a good first step is remembering that perfection will not come on this side of heaven and, as a result, attention to our weaknesses (or strengths for that matter) will never end. Can I be okay with that? Can I be okay with not pleasing people all the time?
I don’t know about you, but many times when I am alone God stirs something up in my heart. I become passionate and convinced that God has made me in His image and that through Him I truly can do anything! Then I walk out into the world and BAM! I let people rip God’s confidence right out of my hands. Then I stand there, shocked and crying like a little girl who walked out of a toy store with a brand new baby doll only to get it stolen right out of her tiny hand. From now on, when God gives me a new baby doll I am going to grip that thing with both arms!
This is going to sound funny, but this ministry is a “baby doll” God has given to me. I believe that God has given me a gift in you and that He has called me to always remind you how precious and important you are no matter what this world tells you. This weekend I am going to the She Speaks conference in Concord, NC to share with people the ministry God has called me to. I cannot even count how many times this last month I just wanted to throw in the towel and say “forget it!” Fear of people’s words, lack of confidence in the ministry, and my own crazy brain was almost enough to send me running for the hills. Then, in His infinite grace God reminded me, “What can mortal man do to you? What are you so afraid of?”
See that’s the beauty in having faith in Christ. I do believe in His word and I do rely on His promises. But, I am also weak, and in my weaknesses God gets the precious opportunity to draw me back to Him in His Word and tell me that pleasing Him is the only thing that will ever truly matter.
So whatever it is that God is calling you to do today, may you step out in confidence knowing that your Heavenly Father will never stop loving you and that He has created you to do vastly amazing things.