Who do you believe you are?

If you know me, you know I’m huge on self-reflection.  I believe we all have areas of our lives that are blind spots and only through honest self-reflection and openness can we identify where those gaps are and do something about them.  Whether it is through prayer and meditation so the Holy Spirit can speak to us or through gathering feedback from those around us, we don’t know what we don’t know.  So, it’s really important that we look at ourselves and are honest about who and what we see.  

When I think about who I am?  I think I’m a 50-year old Christian, who is a black woman and a little over weight.  I have fine hair, which I wish was thicker and longer, but love the dark brown color.  I wish I didn’t have the fine black marks on my face, but love the dimples when they show up.  I think I’m pretty smart, but know there are lots of people who are way smarter than me.  I’m a hard worker and there are lots of things that I do well, but there are way more things I don’t. So, I sometimes have mixed feelings about who I am.  Then when I check out social media or read about people who are excelling in something, I sometimes wish I was something more or something different.

Then I’m reminded that I’m what God made me.  He created me (and you) in His image (Gen 1:27).  I’m fearfully and wonderfully made (Ps 139:13-14).  He made me look like I do (maybe not the overweight part - that was me) and He loves me in this skin.  I am part of His church and I’m different than everyone else because He has an assignment for me and me alone.  Does He need me to do it?  Of course not!  He can do anything with or without me, but He did design me for a specific purpose (Pro 20:5) and to touch specific people.  

God knew me before I was formed in mother’s womb, so He knows more about me than I know about myself and still He loves me.  That makes me valuable, even on those days I feel like everything is falling apart.  He says I’m the head and not the tail (Deut 28:13); I’m above and not beneath; I’m a lender and not a borrower (Deut 28:12).  My life doesn’t always line up with that, but the more I know who I am in Him the better my decisions and the more I make them consistent to what He says.  

So, when you look at yourself in the mirror and think about all the ways you wish you were different, think about how God crafted you to be exactly what you are.  Yes, we are all imperfect and have areas that need work, but God still chose us (John 15:16) and He still adopted us into His family (Eph 1:5) making us joint-heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17).  

We are important to Him.  How does that make you feel about yourself?  What does that make you think?  You are important to the God who created the Heavens and the Earth (Gen 1:1) and stands outside of time.  Take a moment and bask in that……not to get the big head because we’re still nothing without Him.  But, if you’re feeling down or not enough, think on that.  You are so important that God sent His son to die for you…..and even if it had been only you, He still would have died.  WOW!  

That humbles me.  With all the things I consider as my idiosyncrasies and differences and deficiencies, God made me to be me.  Just me.  Whatever He has for me to do, I’m the only one who can do it.  Whether it be creative or problem-solving or generous, I’m the only one to do what He has for me.  It makes me want to please Him more.  It makes me want to live up to His expectations.  It makes me want to be all that He says I am.  What about you?  Do your thoughts about yourself line up with His (Eph 1 & 2)? I hope so.