I know you sometimes feel ordinary but you’re not.
You are one of a kind ~ a unique and beautiful blend of all God wants you to be.
You may feel invisible … like you’re just one of millions of others.
But there’s no comparison. God sees you friend.
And when God sees you, He sees someone He loves.
Listen as He whispers…”You are precious and honored in my sight …. and I love you.” Is 43:4
He also sees someone He knows.
“You have searched me, LORD, and you know me.” Ps 139:1
Since God knows you, has a purpose for you and loves the way He made you, I’m confident He wants you to feel the same way. Watch, listen and let Him sing these truths over your heart today. {And if you’re reading this in email, click here to watch it online.}
You really are…
Beautiful
Loved
Cherished
Chosen
Treasured
Sacred
You are His!
May God’s sweet affirmations replace all those comparisons. As you identify, understand and embrace who HE created you to be, I’m praying that like the psalmist, you can learn to say with confidence, “Lord, You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb, I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well” (Ps. 139:13-14)
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Want to find out more about who God created you to be?
Here’s a link to a FREE Spiritual Gifts Assessment to see what your gifts are!
It’s FREE for everyone!
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Today’s GiveAway: I’m giving away 5 copies of the personality assessment that I talk about in my book A Confident Heart, In chapter 8, I share an in-depth section about personalities and how our unique traits play a key role in our God-given purpose. Today’s giveaway is called Wired That Way Personality Profile and includes a time-tested profile with definitions, instructions to eliminate confusion, a detailed explanation of your scores, and a handy team-building chart that shows how the different Personalities interact.
Enter to win: Share a little bit about what God is speaking to your heart or showing you today through my P31 devotion, this blog post and/or music video. Can’t want to hear from your heart. Simply click “share your thoughts” below. {And if you’re reading this in email, click here.}
Read my Encouragement for Today devotion The Comparison Trap.
Dear Renee,
God’s divine plans amaze me. We have been talking in church about Habakkuk, and I feel Habakkuk 2:3 is for me, that God has an “appointed time” for some things I’ve been waiting for. Our verse this week coincides with that perfectly (Eph. 2:10) that “I can do the good things He planned for me long ago.” Thank you for doing this study and allowing yourself to be used by God to touch my life and many others : )
the appointed time; one of my favorite scriptures and when I can’t hold to anything else I let my tears fall and ask God to help me hold on till the appointed time
This song starts with words that describe me so clearly! I have heard this song so many times, but today it really spoke love to me and I soooo needed that. I listened to it over and over and again with my two little daughters. They love it too:)
We are meant for so much more than all of this!!! Thank you Lord!!! Now my prayer is that He will show me what that is.
In Chapter 8, you start by saying that at 32 you didn’t have a clue what your dreams or desires were, here I am at almost 43 with not much clarity on these things for my life, other than to mother my daughters. My marriage is struggling and my relationship with my step-sons is difficult and complicated.
Praying for clarity and strength for all of us!
Donna from Honalulu, if you read this I am still praying for you:) Miss your posts…
May God continue to bless you all!!!
Karen
me too Karen; I am mean for so much more than all of this. @59 years old I though my life would be so different now. I’ve got to stop blaming myself for the marriage I’ve threw away. I think that guilt makes the relationship that I’m in now where there seems to be no future marriage commitment hurt even more. How can love hurt so bad??
KAREN- Hi my friend!!!! Don’t you worry- at least you have your daughters to mother and that is a blessing in itself- I cannot have children I had Breast cancer and it forced me into menopause:( But I have fostered a baby boy who is now 5years old and re-united with hi father, I still pick him up from time to time to spend the weekend with Aunty Donna 🙂
I dedicate this song to you & all the ladies reading!
You need to go to youtube and check out the “Katina’s” song called “THANK YOU” These are local boys from the island-but very popular Christian Band
Just read the lyrics-you know it’s so awesome
when I listen to this song- I lift my hands and worship Our Lord- it gives me peace, it also makes my heart happy despite the world of problems around us! Please if you get the chance Karen listen to it!
LYRICS TO “THANK YOU” BY: THE KATINAS
Just a little while longer I wanna pray
Can’t get You off my mind so I came to say
Thank You Lord just for loving me
Many times as I do forget
Every need that You have met
Oh thank You Lord, I know You’re showing me
You are there when I am down and out
You’re holding me, Your love is so amazing
Oh it changed me
Chorus:
Here I am with all I am
Raise my hands to worship You
I wanna say thank you, oh thank you
For everything, for who You are
You cover me, You touch my heart
I wanna say thank you
I could have died in my sin but You saved me
Didn’t have any hope at all
You gave me peace divine, strength to carry on
I should have been the one to pay
But instead You took my place
My Jesus, words cannot explain
Even though I don’t deserve Your love for me
You look beyond my fault and You showed mercy
CHORUS
I wanna say thank you for the sun
I wanna say thank you for the rain
Everything You do is beautiful
I’m so grateful for Your love
it’s difficult to break the pattern of comparison when you’re raised hearing, “why aren’t you more like so-and-so?!”, or “if you looked like so-and-so, life would be kinder to you”, or “if you sang like so-and-so…” or “danced like so-and-so” or “had grades like so-and-so…” or “had talents like” or, well, you get the picture! even now as an adult, there are employers feeding us the same lines, comparing us to co-workers, comparing our companies to other organizations in the industry… it’s almost impossible to look in the mirror and see a true, sincere reflection! i can’t tell you how many times the song “beautiful” has caused me to break down into sobbing… me? Sacred? more like Scared… scared of what the world may see, or do if i don’t measure up… not saying that playing the comparison game is right. just saying that sometimes it becomes a part of who we are… habits hard to break… i know i’m loved, but confidence is not something i possess…
There really is nothing more important than believing that each one of us matters to and are known and loved by God. And I have to tell myself over and over that His way of loving me is beyond comparing to how we frail humans love. He doesn’t mess up or forget or leave. He doesn’t give up on me when I mess up or forget or leave Him for a bit. Thank you, Lord, for loving us so much.
You just don’t know how refreshing it was to let those last few words wash over me . . . loved, cherished, treasured, His . . . how powerful that affirmation was!!! Thank you!! 🙂
As I was listening to this song that I’ve heard so much, it really means so much more when you are truly starting to see who you are to God… tears can’t help but come into my eyes. It’s amazing to me that God loves me… that’s a simple truth that I’m still trying to really grasp. It’s beyond our comprehension… He loves me… all of me. This study is helping me to grow so much in God and his Word… and it’s really made me think about questions for my own life that I never have even though to ask myself…
What do I like to do? What makes my heart come alive? How would I fill my free time if I had no fears on insecurities? If finances were unlimited and failure unlikely, what would be my dream? What would I do if neither time nor money was an issue?
I always go back to this… I’m a big dreamer, and I say if your gonna dream and believe God for something dream big! Nothing shall be impossible with God. My biggest dream and I just want to share is travel and go around the world (wherever God sends me) and tell people about Jesus and most of all that he loves them. Everytime I do devotion at work, it seems like God always centers it right back to LOVE. I love people, and I love talking to people about Jesus. It says in the book of Malachi, how that those that feared God, spake often one to another about Him…and God has a book of remembrance where he writing it down everytime we talk to others about Him…(whether its other believers, or non-believers) he’s keeping a record of it and that blows me away! I want to tell the world about Jesus! That’s my biggest dream, and I truly feel like God has placed that desire in my heart… I want others to know that hope that I’ve come to know and believe! God is so good! I couldn’t have asked for a better study to join… its the first one I’ve ever done and I’m so glad I joined it, and that God has given me the GRACE to keep committed to it. It’s been such a blessing to hear your insight Renee and all these others around the world!
The thing I loved the most about Chapter 8 was the Personality Trait Chart… I was the Sanguine: Desires FUN. And it was me dead on. That’s one thing that I find myself having a hard time doing.. is to not be too serious all the time… and just live life and have fun and enjoy it. I’ve got better, but it’s like I find myself at times being afraid to have fun, not necessarily being afraid… just thinking I’ll get to focused on things of this world and lose my focus on Jesus. I am a serious person, but if there is one trait I wish I had more of it would be to laugh more, and to have more fun. I feel at times that I’m boring… But like I just said that’s a feeling. We don’t go by what we feel, but by what God’s word says… loved this chapter! Looking forward to the rest!
That song just moves me and brings tears to my eyes. I’m am going through a divorce after 17 yrs of marriage. I’m hustling to take care of my three kids and make things as good as I can for them. It’s hard to feel good about myself when I have been betrayed by someone I trusted completely and loved so deeply. I tried so hard to hold things together, but I could not do it alone. God has given me a peace about the divorce, however I still struggle with one big thing. No matter how hard I try, how much I pray, how many times I tell myself this is the result of his choices and I didn’t do anything to deserve this… I can’t shake that nagging buzz in my ear that says “What’s wrong with you?” I ask myself why I wasn’t beautiful enough, was I not nice enough, was I not smart enough, why didn’t I matter enough to my husband.
When I hear the words of this song, I am reminded that my Father thinks I’m beautiful and He created me. (Psalm 139:13)
I know I am worth more that many sparrows. (Luke 12:6-7)
I know I have a future that my Father holds in His hands. (Jer. 29:11)
I know I can trust Him. (Prov. 3:5-6)
I know I will get through this. (Phil. 4:13)
I know I am in His protection. (2 Sam 22:18)
I know I will be better, stronger, smarter AND more beautiful than ever. (Mark 9:23)
Every day I am stepping out of the boat and walking on faith. 🙂
Amen! Love your list!
All my life, I’ve known that I’m different. I was sick alot as a child.
I’m glad I’m the way god made me. I’m very tall as I’m 6’1. i have a great and encouraging smile. And, I have a very positive attitude. I feel that God wants me to enjoy being the girl that he created and let his love shine thru me and my smile.
I listened to the song today and I sense him saying “you are my girl”
Wow, comparing our insides with our outsides, how amazing is that, We are fearfully and wonderfully made and we still compare ourselves to others, boy, the flesh really does beat us up inside and out doesn’t it. But God’s word is so encouraging and hopeful and will never return void. Praise the Lord!!!
I love the video….great to be reminded that I’m cherished, beautiful and chosen by God! Sometimes we can go through so many things in life, it’s good to be reminded how God views us.
I am always amazed at how God knows EXACTLY what we need. I have been struggling so much lately with who I am and not knowing my purpose. Though I am 55, there have been so many changes and things happening, people moving out of my life, that I feel as though I don’t know what I am supposed to do. When I couldn’t sleep last night, I had a long prayer time with God and gave it all to him. Today, reading the devotion, and listening to the song, tears just streaming down my face, with the reminder that I am beautiful. Thank you so much. Thank you.
I love the thought from the song that there is so much more. I struggle with it since I’m 59 years old and it’s hard for me to believe that there is so much more even at this age. I keep reminding myself that Moses began at 80!
I dare to believe in spite of my feelings. Thanks for the book and this study, and mostly, for the continual encouragement.
Renee: What a blessing this study is. I have suffered from the comparison trap most of my life and God is showing me how wrong I was and how I need to count solely on Him for my afirmation. He sent His Son to die for me. How much more should I need to be affirmed as valuable?
The video you shared made me think about a new friend that my 15 year old daughther has met! He was saved during our churches 3 week revival, and his home life is not great, he doesn’t even like to talk about it. Several months ago he was hanging with the wrong crowd and was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and now that he has gotten saved, people still look at the old person, and that is so wrong, people should be willing to give chances, because God gave and gives us each and everyone second/third/fourth/etc….chances each and everyday! I would just ask each of you to help me pray for this young man and his family and also help me to pray that my family can be a positive impact in his life, and let him know that we are all beautiful the way God created us all to be in our own special way!
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for speaking God’s word to me in my time of need.
A great message today and oh so timely. It is so easy to compare ourselves to others and feel that we come up short. I am reminded that only He judges and He loves each one of us as He created us. Like it has been shared, we can only see the outside of what we compare ourselves with-I know that He lives in me – and HE is beyond compare. If I can remind myself that if He chose me, then He has decided I AM SOMEONE SPECIAL and He is never incorrect. Blessings to all my SPECIAL Sisters in Christ.
What God is speaking to me is that His expectations of me are the only ones that matter. As you said so well, “He loves the way He made me.” I can be confident that He planted traits in me to see and do things in a certain way–and I don’t have to worry about making choices to please other people. Pleasing Him is my only concern. That is very freeing.
What a chapter. I finished reading this pm, but need to work on the questions. The blog and video set a wonderful tone to do so. Thank you and blessings to all, Julie
Right now I am spinning. I’m unsure what direction God wants me to go. I’m trying to be still and listen. I’m trying to be patient. I’m trying not to feel uncertain and worried. But the truth is I do. Last week I began to sink in the black hole of depression. Fear crept in and began to show me that I wasn’t good for anything; that I had no marketable skills. Why did I quit my short teaching career of eight years? But in my heart I know that God has more intended for me. I don’t know what my gifts or talents are. They aren’t evident to me. But it will come. I’ve taken the Briggs Myers Personality Test and remain confused :-). After a much long and much needed discussion with my (my best friend and supporter), I admitted that I wanted to serve. I wanted to work for our church, however those doors of opportunity aren’t opening. Perhaps God is planning and putting all the pieces together.
In today’s world we get so lost in titles and names that we loose ourselves in all of it. For me I look in the mirror and I see a mom with three teenagers, an accounting clerk, a daughter, a girlfriend, a friend, a worker in the nursury, welcome table, and womens group at church. The list could go one but I’m sure we all know that list very well. Most of all though I see myself as invisible. I see myself as unloved, not good enough for anything and just a speck of dirt on the face of this earth. This study has helped me so much with all of this. This chapter and blog show us that we are one of kind. Every speck of dirt is one of a kind and God sees all. So while I may just be a whirlwind mess going from place to place God sees everything I’m doing and He loves me for me. Thank you for showing us that.
My boss is a bully…he often makes fun of me, and is patronizing and condencending…he’s like that with most the employees exept those that are part of his group. I am unappreciated, demorilized and underemployed…I have Master’s Degree , and haven’t looking but have not found better quality of work because of the economy most of us are underemployed. I pray to God every day for God to open a window and find a more positive job environment with a better pay and opporunities in my area of study. Please pray for me. I feel God has forgotten about me and sometimes I am begining to feel discouraged.
Sometimes I feel so forgotten and invisible. Like I’m going through difficult times and everyone else is getting helped except me. I try really hard to remember that God still loves me and sees me as important, but the longer I struggle, the more alone I feel. Is. 43:4 of course strikes a chord…those beautiful verses are the ones I hold close.
Although I read your Proverbs 31 Devotion today, this message adapted for A Confident Heart really resonated with me. Tears stung my eyes as I looked at that red rose in the sea of yellow ones. That is exactly how I feel sometimes but not in a special way. God spoke to my heart to tell me that I am special and He does see me. Even if I feel that I blend in and don’t stand out in the crowd; even with 3 billion people around me, God still sees me and He knows me and He is pleased with how I have made an effort to seek Him with all of my heart. How that warmed my heart and still overwhelms me as I type this message. God is such an awesome God! Although He has millions of galaxies to look over, He sees and knows me here on earth and loves me as if I was the only one that existed. Our God is an awesome God; there is none like Him. I’m so glad I know Him and serve Him. Today my spirit lept and I feel stronger and more confident in God. Blessings to you Renee for being willing to be used to facilitate my growth. Praise be to God!!
Since starting this online study I have been dealing with who I am and how God sees me. On last year I had someone I love dearly to tell me some hurtful things about how they felt about me. I was devastated. this persons words were hurtful and cut me like a knife. I couldn’t believe my own family member would treat me like that. I have since forgiven her but for a while I was in a state depression eventhough I knew what enemy said was a lie. I began to go to my word and quote scriptures on who God said I was. I would put them on my facebook page so I could go back and read them.
Oh how He loves us. What a wonderful place I am in on today. God sees everything he even touches those hurting places that we think have been hidden.
This online study and your book is just confirmation for me on the great love God has for us. Nothing can take away from the His word but the Confident Heart has truly been a blessing to read!
I am a 43 year old recently divorced mother of two teens (The Giants) who has learned the healing power of God’s word. After a 14 year marriage to my college sweetheart we both knew it was not meant for us. During our stint, he fell in and out of love with God and with me too. I honestly thought there was something I needed to do or become in order for our marriage to work. Boy was I wrong! I now know that not only was I a good wife but also a godly wife thanx be to God! God’s word would always convict me about my language, my attitude, my friendships, my devotion to my husband, etc. I thought I wasn’t good enough for him at one point. But, God, in His infinite love for me helped me to see how He would “give men in exchange for me”, “never leave me,”and be “my husband!” How could I not fall in love with Him all over again? He continues to lavish me with His love, wisdom, and faithfulness. I am so glad that He chose me to be His girl and to bring others to Him. He truly is a wonder.
These are the words that I needed to hear, though they are hard for me to take in. I am 32 and living a life that I am not passionate about. I feel like noone cares that I exist except if it is helping them. I know God loves me just as I am but I want to know why I’m here-what my reason is. That is what I am struggling with today.
LOVED the P31 devotion today… such a timely word for me. I especially loved this statement – because it reminded me again that I do not need to attempt to be like anyone else!!
“The only way we’ll break free from the comparison trap is by embracing who we are instead of trying to be who we are not.”
Dear Renee ~
Thank you sooooo much for posting this video today. I needed this reminder. Let me tell you a beautiful little story. Last year something very difficult happened in my family. However, as God uses all things for our good, my family was forever changed by the grace and mercy of our Heavenly Father. My dad was greatly changed. He has always loved the Lord and his family, but he is the quiet type. I have always known of his love for me through his actions, but not so much through his words. Last summer he called me out of the blue and held up his cell phone to the radio as this very song you shared today was playing. After it was done, he told me that when it came on he thought of me. He said he knew he hadn’t done a great job of telling me that often and that he loved me. Oh, how the tears flowed……..
Thank you for reminding me of that very special moment again today. I love that my Heavenly Father and my earthy father are both singing this over me. I am soooooo blessed!!!!! 🙂
Be BLESSED today ~
Jennifer
Jennifer- awww..that is so touching and beautiful. Love it!
Definitely need this today. Been a rough couple weeks: almost lost my stepdad, hit with realization that my Granddad who died in March died after 5 weeks in the hospital & now my Dad has been in the hospital for 4 1/2 weeks; frustrations with doctor’s office as well as circumstances that have made the pain much worse, making me even more isolated than usual; not sleeping which makes everything worse…. If had to pick one thing (devotion, post, video) would be the video. Love this song & perfect timing. First time through watched & listened to it, & then kept playing it while reading through the other posts.
Today’s blog post…I am loved…chosen. Just reading those words brought tears to my eyes. I’ve been struggling with accepting who I am for so very long. Just nice to hear it…now its up to me to believe it.
Renee – thank you soooo much for the video link to Mercy Me’s “You are Beautiful”
That is very powerful – an so wonderful to ponder!
I find myself comparing who I am to others all the time! I want to be happy with who I am but when I see other women who are skinnier and prettier than me, it is hard. I do not know how to be happy with who I am. I know I am a good person on the inside but it is my outside that I have most of the issues with. I know God loves me just the way I am so why can’t I love me just the way I am? I struggle with this msot days.
I really enjoy reading your emails and appreciate your dedication to encouragement to women on finding our security in God. Your words have been very beneficial to me. I really enjoyed the study A Confident Heart.
Beautiful. One of my favorite songs. I have four daughters and it is my dream that they all know how treasured they are, how beautiful, how much He loves them. How worthy they are of being loved. It is my prayer that in any area where I have failed to teach this lesson, God’s Spirit of love and grace will prevail.
My oldest are 19 and 20 and now I look back and see so many things I could have done differently. But, this chapter had me really looking at my personality, talents, and spiritual gifts. Perhaps I did just what was needed, just what I was able to do, to help shape them into who He wants them to be. Praise God that He loves them even more than I do. And it’s awesome to know that He loves me with that very same love!
We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10, NLT I love to think that I’m God’s masterpiece! I never thought of it this way. I like what Renee’s friend said, “Every time we compare ourselves with someone else, we can never measure up because we’re comparing our insides with their outsides.” It’s like comparing apples to oranges.. they just don’t compare because they are totally different and so are we totally different, created to be unique.
I look forward to your words each day, I have been struggling with accepting that I am anything but a failure lately, I know it is the enemy, but is gets tough some times…I have been divorced for 20 years and I have a blessing of a son, but he is 5 hours away and the solitude has been tough lately!
But I just keep drawing close to Him and remembering His promises…
I know God has a plan, I just want Him to hurry! LOL!
Rita,
Your post really touched me. I cant imagine all you went thru as a child. God is good
tho since you now know the truth that you are loved and are here for a purpose that
only you can accomplish! My heart goes out to you, pls accept my hug today for your
painful past…
I am learning to accept that God has a plan specifically for me and it is probably not going to follow what I think my plan should be. We are experiencing some trials and tribulations right now in our family and God is showing me that He can use even these things to build me up and prepare me for His future plans for me. Even when I feel like things are at their worst, God is turning what Satan intended for evil into something wonderful. I just have to have faith, believe in God’s grace and mercy and wait to see what He will unfold in my future.
I am a 27y/o stay at home mom of two pre-schoolers. All my life I have always compaired myself to everyone else trying to figure out why I dont measure up, why other’s dont like me. I still compair myself to every mom/woman I think are better than me or who seem to have it all figured out. It is a tremendous struggle to not let it “get” to me, and it has caused many arguments w/ the Hubby. And for the past 3 1/2 years I have been struggling w/ sever depression. I was actually doing really well for the last several months up until receintly. It really feels like every dream or goal my hubby and I have talked about is coming true for everyone else. I cant help but to cry. These same people I trusted and confided in, belittled me and told me my ideas were horrible, then later they do exactly what I said to them! (i.e. I want to home school. She said it was a horrible idea and not good for my kids. But now she is homeschooling. ..the list could go on) I pray everyday to stop being like this bc I really dont like who I’ve become. And Thanks to your post today, I now have a little spark of hope that I can change and our Heavenly Father will be with me through it all!! Im not the only one who has/had this struggle! Thank you so much Renee!! Your post could have not had better timing =)
I’m a PTSD survivor & am learning to experience victories on top of smaller victories. I still trigger & I have a hard time giving myself grace, but I’m inching my way forward with tenacity. I want to give up often, but God is growing me through the call to continue to reach. He is showing the way that I’m to go. He is making me better than new.
Terri, Keep up the good work. Don’t know your situation or how long ago, but do know you are on the right track. Have come to learn that when things seem to be going good & then have a “flashback” it is so God can heal me at a deeper level. Still struggling & hard to remember this at the time, but God is faithful.
As a little girl, I use to go in the dark corner of the closet and pray that God would let me die so my mother would be happy. My mother repeatedly told me I was a mistake God made …. and she never wanted me. This went on for most of my life until in a very loving, caring bible study group, I discovered the real truth – I am His workmanship and He loves me. Those words have changed my life completely. I now have dates with Him and we talk about so many things. He lets me know how much He cares about me – and how much He loves me over and over. I pray every day that I may help other women find His Love – and hopefully my Mom in heaven knows now how much God loves her and me. Unfortunately she died before I was able to share with her myself but I know God wants me to share this word – love – with everyone so they will also know how much God loves each of them…..and how precious they are to Him. Thank you God for loving me and for allowing me to share with others.
“Every time we compare ourselves with someone else, we can never measure up because we’re comparing our insides with their outsides.” – This seems to be truer now more than ever, especially with all the blogs and social media available to us. I’ve found myself comparing myself to other bloggers who manage to post every day, maintain their households, cook from scratch and do all these things that I can’t seem to do. Then there are my “friends” on Facebook who keep on posting photos about their vacation, kid’s activities, eating out and such when I have not taken a real vacation in years and my son’s activity consist of daycare so I can go to work. Sometimes, especially when I’m really tired, I fall into the “woe is me” mindset. But there are also those times that I remember how far God has taken us and all the He has done for us and I am grateful.
Renee,
THANK YOU for the assessment test. Finally something that will give me a definite
answer as to what Our Lord wants me to do in his kingdom. I never felt like I had
a “special” gift. I’m excited to find out now what my gift is! I am also praying that
in learning who I am in Christ that I will be more self confident knowing that God
created me for a purpose–it makes me feel actually important!! I have never ever
had this feeling before. Praise Our Father in heaven and thank you Renee, for
sharing your gift with me!!!!!!!!!! Blessings!!
So deeply encourage by your book and the devotions, learning my value it God is making my outlook in life so much better, I excited to discover more of myself as I give myself to HIM!!! Thanks for all you do to share HIS word to the world!!!
I just needed to hear once again how much the Lord loves me! I’m so tired of comparing myself to others. It so takes away from who God wants us to be. It’s freeing to operate in your gifts and then sometimes to have the Lord show you that you are gifted in other areas and to operate out of our comfort zones. I’m looking foirward to reading a Confident Heart with my daughter this summer.
God Bless
Grace 🙂
Thank you for this devotion. It comes at a perfect time for me. I work in the church office, but have a longing that it’s not enough or maybe not the right place. I see other women around me discovering their path & I feel confused. What am I doing wrong? Why am I not going someplace specific yet? What does the future hold? I would relish a test with a result that I can lean towards and see where my thoughts and feeling fit in. To be on the path that God planned would be a great comfort.
Thank you for the timely reminder that we should not compare ourselves to others. I like the line you quoted that says “We never measure up since we are comparing our inside with someone else’s outside.”
To just b me and no one else. To like me and love me.
I am a habitual comparison maker vulnerable to the opinions of others. I think it started as a child hearing “Why can’t you be more like…so and so”. Then being raised by a critical parent left me always second guessing who I was or what I was doing or was I good enough….and set up a pattern of trying to satisfy others expectations instead of being confident in who I am and who God has made and designed me to be. I lost track of who I am and became a hodgepodge of other people.
I’ve been so blessed by reading your devotionals. Even though I grew up homeschooled, with a great family who affirmed me, I have still struggled with comparing myself to others and feeling inadequate. This devotional really spoke to my heart today. It’s so easy to forget that God really feels this way about me, and He made me just the way I am for a reason. I’d love to have help figuring out what He has designed me to do, because I’m still not sure yet, and I feel like I’m not accomplishing anything.
I love the idea of being His masterpiece. Being made on purpose with a purpose! Your words encourage me on my journey. I am hoping to get back to the basics of who I really am- how God sees me- and what special purpose I can serve while living in the confident assurance of being His special, and yes beautiful (!), masterpiece!