Luke 22:31-32
“Simon, stay on your toes. Satan
has tried his best to separate all of you from me, like chaff from
wheat. Simon, I’ve prayed for you in particular that you not give in or
give out. When you have come through the time of testing, turn to your
companions and give them a fresh start.”
Scripture
quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002
by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs,
CO. All rights reserved.
Yesterday, three-year-old
Nathan came to me and said, “I’m thirsty.” “I’ll get you something in a
minute,” I told him. “But I’m THIRSTY!” he wailed. He gave me his
most pitiful pouting lip, big crocodile tears, and the repetitive “fit”
of a toddler as he pled his case. Patience is not the strong suit of
three-year-olds! The other day as I told Nathan “no” about something,
he muttered, “You don’t like me…you don’t love me anymore.” Oh, the
pity parties children can throw!
My passage from Jesus Calling*
this morning was about self-pity. It said in part, “When you are weary
or unwell, this demonic trap is the greatest danger you face.” WOW!
This echoed in my head as I read the words of Jesus…”Satan has tried his
best to separate all of you from me…” In recent months, I feel like
Satan has tried very hard to separate Greg and me from Jesus. He has
pretty well “thrown the book at us” with the sudden deaths of Greg’s
brother and my mother…an upper respiratory virus that sapped our health
and strength for a few weeks during all of this turmoil…the general
stresses and energy drains of the holidays…and more. It would be so
easy to stay in bed, pull the covers over our heads, and let the world
pass us by as we feel so very sorry for ourselves and all that has
befallen us. But then the devil would win…and we simply cannot have
that!
I was reminded in Jesus Calling that “…the closer you live
to Me, the more distance there is between you and the pit.” In this
passage from Luke, we hear Jesus tell Simon that HE has prayed for him.
Can you imagine it…Jesus praying for us?! That took my breath!
With this in mind, how could we possibly cave in and succumb to the
devil’s insistence that all is lost? Do you see how important it is
that we turn to Jesus and focus on Him rather than on our situation? If
He is praying for us, how on earth can we possibly continue to wallow in self-pity?
There
is an old song called “Pick Yourself Up**” – written by Jerome Kern and
Dorothy Fields 1936 for the movie “Swing Time.” One phrase says:
“Nothing's impossible, I have found
For when my chin is on the ground.
I pick myself up, dust myself off
And start all over again.”
This
is exactly what Jesus is commanding us to do. We are not to give the
devil any satisfaction. We are to recognize that Jesus is fighting for
us…petitioning God on our behalf…guiding and caring for us through His
Holy Spirit. We are to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, start
over…and help others do the same.
We are not self-absorbed
three-year-olds…and we should not act like them. Regardless of how
badly we want to stomp our feet, stick out our lower lip and throw a
fit…this is not what those who trust in Jesus do when the chips are
down! The choice is ours completely…but to choose to spend even a
little while in self-pity doesn’t seem like a viable option to me. What
about you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
*www.jesuscalling.com
**©Copyright 1936 T.B. Harms & Company Incorporated
Showing posts with label self-pity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label self-pity. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for April 13, 2014
Psalm 35:11-14; 19-25
Liars accuse me of crimes I know nothing about. They repay evil for good, and I feel all alone. When they were sick, I wore sackcloth and went without food. I truly prayed for them, as I would for a friend or a relative. I was in sorrow and mourned, as I would for my mother.
You see everything, Lord! Please don’t keep silent or stay so far away. Fight to defend me, Lord God, and prove that I am right by your standards. Don’t let them laugh at me or say to each other, “Now we’ve got what we want! We’ll gobble him down!”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
At some point in your life, you have probably felt mistreated. Someone has most likely lied to you and taken advantage of your kindness. You may have felt like standing in the middle of the floor - hands raised upward - and asking, “What did I ever do to this person to deserve such treatment?” You might have even asked God to step in…to vindicate you and “make this person pay” in some manner. From reading this Psalm, I would say that David was right there with you…and honestly, I can’t say that I would blame you, either.
Nobody likes to be duped or mistreated. No one wants to give of themselves to someone who repays with lies, deceit, and abuse. None of us likes to be the recipient of another person’s ridicule or exploitation. This is not what you expect from someone for whom you have shown utmost love and care…someone for whom you have truly prayed for, cared for in their times of need, and blessed in ways great and small. We don’t expect people to lie to us – or about us - much less repay good with evil. Neither did Jesus.
Let that soak in for a minute. Do you think that Jesus hung from the cross and asked, “What did I ever do to So-and-So to make him/her hate me this much?” Do you think that He looked to the heavens and asked God to make each and every one of us pay for the terrible things we have done to Him…each sin we have committed?” The truth is that Jesus did just the opposite. He asked God to forgive those who did not understand what they had done…Who they had maimed and killed. He forgave a thief on the cross next to His. He gave His very life to PAY for each and every one of my sins…and yours…and the sins of all who will ever choose to give Him their heart and follow Him.
Clearly we are not Jesus. We are not God in human form…we do not have Supernatural powers and abilities and truly have no business comparing our “sufferings” to His. But they do serve to illustrate the point that for everything we endure…Jesus has endured more. For every hurt and indignation we will ever suffer…Jesus agonized exponentially. We serve a God who fully understands our thoughts and feelings…and truly cares about each of us. It may seem at times like He has walked away and left us to wallow in whatever we are enduring…but I assure you, nothing could be further from the truth.
God never leaves us. While we might not be able to feel His presence as we desire, He is always working behind the scenes and meeting our needs. It may not be as we would wish… we may not “feel” as good as we would like in any given moment. But God is still with us. We must remember that the God who cared enough for us to send His only Son to earth and allowed Him to be brutalized for OUR sins is a God of profound love and care – for each of us!
So the next time you are mistreated, deceived, ridiculed, ignored and/or lonely, remember Jesus and the cross. You may be momentarily stung or disappointed by others, which is understandable. But don’t linger in those feelings…do not wallow in your hurts. Get busy loving others in Jesus’ name…sharing in THEIR suffering and reminding them of all that He did for us on the cross. Remember the cross…and what Jesus did for us there. Thank Him for the gift of amazing, incredible, unconditional love, grace, mercy and forgiveness. Feel His presence and trust that He is making a way where you can see none.
God is always fighting for you. The cross is proof if this. How will you serve Him in return?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Liars accuse me of crimes I know nothing about. They repay evil for good, and I feel all alone. When they were sick, I wore sackcloth and went without food. I truly prayed for them, as I would for a friend or a relative. I was in sorrow and mourned, as I would for my mother.
You see everything, Lord! Please don’t keep silent or stay so far away. Fight to defend me, Lord God, and prove that I am right by your standards. Don’t let them laugh at me or say to each other, “Now we’ve got what we want! We’ll gobble him down!”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
At some point in your life, you have probably felt mistreated. Someone has most likely lied to you and taken advantage of your kindness. You may have felt like standing in the middle of the floor - hands raised upward - and asking, “What did I ever do to this person to deserve such treatment?” You might have even asked God to step in…to vindicate you and “make this person pay” in some manner. From reading this Psalm, I would say that David was right there with you…and honestly, I can’t say that I would blame you, either.
Nobody likes to be duped or mistreated. No one wants to give of themselves to someone who repays with lies, deceit, and abuse. None of us likes to be the recipient of another person’s ridicule or exploitation. This is not what you expect from someone for whom you have shown utmost love and care…someone for whom you have truly prayed for, cared for in their times of need, and blessed in ways great and small. We don’t expect people to lie to us – or about us - much less repay good with evil. Neither did Jesus.
Let that soak in for a minute. Do you think that Jesus hung from the cross and asked, “What did I ever do to So-and-So to make him/her hate me this much?” Do you think that He looked to the heavens and asked God to make each and every one of us pay for the terrible things we have done to Him…each sin we have committed?” The truth is that Jesus did just the opposite. He asked God to forgive those who did not understand what they had done…Who they had maimed and killed. He forgave a thief on the cross next to His. He gave His very life to PAY for each and every one of my sins…and yours…and the sins of all who will ever choose to give Him their heart and follow Him.
Clearly we are not Jesus. We are not God in human form…we do not have Supernatural powers and abilities and truly have no business comparing our “sufferings” to His. But they do serve to illustrate the point that for everything we endure…Jesus has endured more. For every hurt and indignation we will ever suffer…Jesus agonized exponentially. We serve a God who fully understands our thoughts and feelings…and truly cares about each of us. It may seem at times like He has walked away and left us to wallow in whatever we are enduring…but I assure you, nothing could be further from the truth.
God never leaves us. While we might not be able to feel His presence as we desire, He is always working behind the scenes and meeting our needs. It may not be as we would wish… we may not “feel” as good as we would like in any given moment. But God is still with us. We must remember that the God who cared enough for us to send His only Son to earth and allowed Him to be brutalized for OUR sins is a God of profound love and care – for each of us!
So the next time you are mistreated, deceived, ridiculed, ignored and/or lonely, remember Jesus and the cross. You may be momentarily stung or disappointed by others, which is understandable. But don’t linger in those feelings…do not wallow in your hurts. Get busy loving others in Jesus’ name…sharing in THEIR suffering and reminding them of all that He did for us on the cross. Remember the cross…and what Jesus did for us there. Thank Him for the gift of amazing, incredible, unconditional love, grace, mercy and forgiveness. Feel His presence and trust that He is making a way where you can see none.
God is always fighting for you. The cross is proof if this. How will you serve Him in return?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for May 29, 2012
1 Corinthians 10:13
No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
In the newspaper today, I saw a photograph of a woman kneeling at a grave site in a military cemetery. She was placing an American flag on one of the graves… and she appeared to be crying. I wondered if this was the grave of her husband… father…mother… or a son or daughter. I imagined how she must be remembering the sad events surrounding this person’s death… and reliving them. I thought of my own loved ones – and how I would feel were I the person in the picture. And I also considered how this woman is one of thousands all over the world who are mourning the loss of a dear loved one lost to one war or another.
Yesterday was Memorial Day in our country, and many of my Facebook “friends” posted photos of their loved ones who served in a branch of our armed forces. Some of these men and women perished during their tour of duty. But as the survivors posted their picture and reminded us of their sacrifice and service, I have to believe they also found comfort in the knowledge that they were not alone. They had to sense that others understood how they felt… and that ALL of them had managed to somehow come through this. More than few credited God with giving them the strength to endure the pain and grief… the heartache and loss. And just as surely as He has done this… He has also steered the paths people in similar situations in the same direction in order to bolster one another with empathy and encouragement.
A friend told me recently, “I sometimes feel like I am all alone on an island.” We all feel this way at times. But look around you. I’m betting you don’t have to look very far to find someone who is going through something very similar to your own experiences… or something far worse. Does this discount or diminish your feelings? Absolutely not! But the same God who is helping the other guy get through his/her test or temptation will help you. And maybe God wants you to help each other!
Let’s be honest… even the youngest among us has been through some “stuff!” And the older we get, the broader our experience base becomes. I don’t believe this is an accident. God doesn’t waste opportunities any more than He gives us more than we can handle. Perhaps instead of asking, “Why me, LORD?” we should be asking “What are You showing me… and how will You use this – and me – for Your glory?” My dear friend Becky, who lost her battle to breast cancer several years ago, always asked, “Why NOT me?” Now that’s FAITH in action!
We need to pick ourselves up by the bootstraps and buckle on the full armor of God. We need to say to ourselves… and to others… “With God, all things are possible. He will never let me down.” We need to leave the devil’s pity party and the negative enabling that is in steady supply and move over to the LORD’s table. We’ll be among friends there... support and encouragement will be the “Daily Special.” We will feast on the profusion of God’s strength and blessings… abundance that enables us to handle anything and everything that comes our way.
The choice is ours. We can decide which “party” to attend – and what kind of “support” we will seek. Whose table are you sitting at these days?
©2012 Debbie Robus
No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll always be there to help you come through it.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
In the newspaper today, I saw a photograph of a woman kneeling at a grave site in a military cemetery. She was placing an American flag on one of the graves… and she appeared to be crying. I wondered if this was the grave of her husband… father…mother… or a son or daughter. I imagined how she must be remembering the sad events surrounding this person’s death… and reliving them. I thought of my own loved ones – and how I would feel were I the person in the picture. And I also considered how this woman is one of thousands all over the world who are mourning the loss of a dear loved one lost to one war or another.
Yesterday was Memorial Day in our country, and many of my Facebook “friends” posted photos of their loved ones who served in a branch of our armed forces. Some of these men and women perished during their tour of duty. But as the survivors posted their picture and reminded us of their sacrifice and service, I have to believe they also found comfort in the knowledge that they were not alone. They had to sense that others understood how they felt… and that ALL of them had managed to somehow come through this. More than few credited God with giving them the strength to endure the pain and grief… the heartache and loss. And just as surely as He has done this… He has also steered the paths people in similar situations in the same direction in order to bolster one another with empathy and encouragement.
A friend told me recently, “I sometimes feel like I am all alone on an island.” We all feel this way at times. But look around you. I’m betting you don’t have to look very far to find someone who is going through something very similar to your own experiences… or something far worse. Does this discount or diminish your feelings? Absolutely not! But the same God who is helping the other guy get through his/her test or temptation will help you. And maybe God wants you to help each other!
Let’s be honest… even the youngest among us has been through some “stuff!” And the older we get, the broader our experience base becomes. I don’t believe this is an accident. God doesn’t waste opportunities any more than He gives us more than we can handle. Perhaps instead of asking, “Why me, LORD?” we should be asking “What are You showing me… and how will You use this – and me – for Your glory?” My dear friend Becky, who lost her battle to breast cancer several years ago, always asked, “Why NOT me?” Now that’s FAITH in action!
We need to pick ourselves up by the bootstraps and buckle on the full armor of God. We need to say to ourselves… and to others… “With God, all things are possible. He will never let me down.” We need to leave the devil’s pity party and the negative enabling that is in steady supply and move over to the LORD’s table. We’ll be among friends there... support and encouragement will be the “Daily Special.” We will feast on the profusion of God’s strength and blessings… abundance that enables us to handle anything and everything that comes our way.
The choice is ours. We can decide which “party” to attend – and what kind of “support” we will seek. Whose table are you sitting at these days?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for June 7, 2011
1 Samuel 16:6-7
When Jesse and his sons arrived, Samuel noticed Jesse's oldest son, Eliab. "He has to be the one the LORD has chosen," Samuel said to himself.
But the LORD told him, "Samuel, don't think Eliab is the one just because he's tall and handsome. He isn't the one I've chosen. People judge others by what they look like, but I judge people by what is in their hearts."
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
One of Timothy’s favorite books at the moment is Olivia, by Ian Falconer - the story of a little piglet and her family… father, mother, brother Ian, dog Perry, and Edwin the cat. The illustrations of Olivia are not bright and bold, like those in many of Timmy’s books. They are all done in black and red on a white background, with some grey shading. Olivia only wears red, and she is depicted somewhat realistically and not “prettied up” as pigs go. Yet Timothy loves her. Olivia is extremely energetic, and the story line is that “she is very good at wearing people out.”
In one part of the story, Olivia goes to the museum on a rainy day, and she studies a painting of beautiful ballerinas. The story says she looks at it for a long time. She also looks at an abstract painting – blobs of paint that appear to have been splattered on the canvas. She remarks to her mother, “I could do that in about five minutes,” and then she proceeds to go home and try it on a wall of her home. Of course, the next text is… “Time out!”
The point is, Olivia did not see the beauty in the abstract painting. She did not see the “heart” in the work that the artist – and apparently other admirers – saw. Timothy sees beyond the simple black and red line drawings and colorings of this little piglet and judges her heart… her similarities in behavior to him… and her exuberance for life. He doesn’t seem to notice her appearance… in fact, I bet he would tell you she is quite beautiful.
We live in a society where looks are everything. People obsess over all sorts of cosmetic concerns… from a “bad hair day” to the extra weight they are carrying to a face covered in freckles. You feel like the blemish or mole on your face is all people see when they look at you… while many hardly notice it. We let our self-awareness of the “muffin top” we’re carrying or that bald spot on our head overshadow our ability to be present in the moment and serve others… and God.
We need to be more like Olivia, the piglet. I don’t mean that we need to get so out of control that we start painting abstract art on our walls… but we need to focus more on life and what matters - and less on appearances. And we need to stop judging others based on looks and first impressions. That zany, overly exuberant, talkative person who drives you nuts may be a loving, caring person who would do anything he/she could to help someone else. The person who is dirty and disheveled… the one who always seems aloof or disinterested… the guy who is so scatterbrained you figure he would lose his head if it weren’t attached… may be just the people God uses to relate to others and serve them right where they are.
The people who are always “dressed to the nines”, drive fancy cars and have lots of money, or have impressive degrees from major colleges and universities may be the very people who are too busy focusing on their own agendas… and not the needs of others or God’s plans. People who are tall and handsome… smart, rich and successful… athletic and talented… may not necessarily be the ones who are serving God the most – or to the best of their ability.
We must stop judging people by appearance. And we need to check our own behavior and see where we are letting our appearance hamper our ability to serve. Are we self-conscious and timid? Are we egotistical and arrogant? What is in our heart? When God looks there, what does He see… and does it please Him? Are you one of God’s chosen servants? What changes do you need to make to become more like Him? Are you ready to begin?
©2011 Debbie Robus
When Jesse and his sons arrived, Samuel noticed Jesse's oldest son, Eliab. "He has to be the one the LORD has chosen," Samuel said to himself.
But the LORD told him, "Samuel, don't think Eliab is the one just because he's tall and handsome. He isn't the one I've chosen. People judge others by what they look like, but I judge people by what is in their hearts."
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
One of Timothy’s favorite books at the moment is Olivia, by Ian Falconer - the story of a little piglet and her family… father, mother, brother Ian, dog Perry, and Edwin the cat. The illustrations of Olivia are not bright and bold, like those in many of Timmy’s books. They are all done in black and red on a white background, with some grey shading. Olivia only wears red, and she is depicted somewhat realistically and not “prettied up” as pigs go. Yet Timothy loves her. Olivia is extremely energetic, and the story line is that “she is very good at wearing people out.”
In one part of the story, Olivia goes to the museum on a rainy day, and she studies a painting of beautiful ballerinas. The story says she looks at it for a long time. She also looks at an abstract painting – blobs of paint that appear to have been splattered on the canvas. She remarks to her mother, “I could do that in about five minutes,” and then she proceeds to go home and try it on a wall of her home. Of course, the next text is… “Time out!”
The point is, Olivia did not see the beauty in the abstract painting. She did not see the “heart” in the work that the artist – and apparently other admirers – saw. Timothy sees beyond the simple black and red line drawings and colorings of this little piglet and judges her heart… her similarities in behavior to him… and her exuberance for life. He doesn’t seem to notice her appearance… in fact, I bet he would tell you she is quite beautiful.
We live in a society where looks are everything. People obsess over all sorts of cosmetic concerns… from a “bad hair day” to the extra weight they are carrying to a face covered in freckles. You feel like the blemish or mole on your face is all people see when they look at you… while many hardly notice it. We let our self-awareness of the “muffin top” we’re carrying or that bald spot on our head overshadow our ability to be present in the moment and serve others… and God.
We need to be more like Olivia, the piglet. I don’t mean that we need to get so out of control that we start painting abstract art on our walls… but we need to focus more on life and what matters - and less on appearances. And we need to stop judging others based on looks and first impressions. That zany, overly exuberant, talkative person who drives you nuts may be a loving, caring person who would do anything he/she could to help someone else. The person who is dirty and disheveled… the one who always seems aloof or disinterested… the guy who is so scatterbrained you figure he would lose his head if it weren’t attached… may be just the people God uses to relate to others and serve them right where they are.
The people who are always “dressed to the nines”, drive fancy cars and have lots of money, or have impressive degrees from major colleges and universities may be the very people who are too busy focusing on their own agendas… and not the needs of others or God’s plans. People who are tall and handsome… smart, rich and successful… athletic and talented… may not necessarily be the ones who are serving God the most – or to the best of their ability.
We must stop judging people by appearance. And we need to check our own behavior and see where we are letting our appearance hamper our ability to serve. Are we self-conscious and timid? Are we egotistical and arrogant? What is in our heart? When God looks there, what does He see… and does it please Him? Are you one of God’s chosen servants? What changes do you need to make to become more like Him? Are you ready to begin?
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for April 26, 2011
Luke 12:6-10
What's the price of two or three pet canaries? Some loose change, right? But God never overlooks a single one. And he pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail—even numbering the hairs on your head! So don't be intimidated by all this bully talk. You're worth more than a million canaries.
"Stand up for me among the people you meet and the Son of Man will stand up for you before all God's angels. But if you pretend you don't know me, do you think I'll defend you before God's angels?
"If you bad-mouth the Son of Man out of misunderstanding or ignorance, that can be overlooked. But if you're knowingly attacking God himself, taking aim at the Holy Spirit, that won't be overlooked.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Take a look at yourself in the mirror. Imagine it… God knows exactly how many hairs are on your head… and mine… and his… and hers… and theirs. Incredible, isn’t it?! “So what?” you may say… “Why would God even care about my hair?” Because God cares about everything about you! You are the apple of His eye. He knows every single detail of your life… and He loves you anyway!
So often – and for a number of reasons – people start to feel like nobody cares. Nobody is paying attention…nobody notices. I’m talking about more than self-pity… I’m talking about a feeling that we are incredibly insignificant in the scheme of things. If we died tomorrow, would it matter? The truth is that God created each of us for a purpose… and if we are not around to fulfill that purpose, it matters greatly!
God is always ready to meet you where you are… to stand with you – and to stand up for you! If someone tries to tell you that you don’t matter… or if the devil tries to plant those thoughts in your head, do not listen! Stand up, square your shoulders and say, “I’m worth more than a million canaries!” Because honestly, if God cares about every feather of a tiny canary, He surely cares about each of us even more.
There’s one other thing… because God is so loving, gracious, and merciful, and always willing to stand up for us… we must be willing to do the same. If we turn our back on God and try to make a go of things on our own terms, we can’t expect Him to bail us out of the mess we make! God is not Burger King… we can’t have it our way… and we can’t pick and choose when to serve Him and when we want to try something different! We really don’t want to do that anyway… because we’ve all seen how badly things go when we try to do them without God in control.
So thank God today for valuing you so highly – for caring about every intricate detail of your life. Ask Him to show you how to serve Him better… and take a stab at caring about the details of HIS life in return. Stand proudly knowing you are so important to Almighty God… and always remember who has your back!
©2011 Debbie Robus
What's the price of two or three pet canaries? Some loose change, right? But God never overlooks a single one. And he pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail—even numbering the hairs on your head! So don't be intimidated by all this bully talk. You're worth more than a million canaries.
"Stand up for me among the people you meet and the Son of Man will stand up for you before all God's angels. But if you pretend you don't know me, do you think I'll defend you before God's angels?
"If you bad-mouth the Son of Man out of misunderstanding or ignorance, that can be overlooked. But if you're knowingly attacking God himself, taking aim at the Holy Spirit, that won't be overlooked.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Take a look at yourself in the mirror. Imagine it… God knows exactly how many hairs are on your head… and mine… and his… and hers… and theirs. Incredible, isn’t it?! “So what?” you may say… “Why would God even care about my hair?” Because God cares about everything about you! You are the apple of His eye. He knows every single detail of your life… and He loves you anyway!
So often – and for a number of reasons – people start to feel like nobody cares. Nobody is paying attention…nobody notices. I’m talking about more than self-pity… I’m talking about a feeling that we are incredibly insignificant in the scheme of things. If we died tomorrow, would it matter? The truth is that God created each of us for a purpose… and if we are not around to fulfill that purpose, it matters greatly!
God is always ready to meet you where you are… to stand with you – and to stand up for you! If someone tries to tell you that you don’t matter… or if the devil tries to plant those thoughts in your head, do not listen! Stand up, square your shoulders and say, “I’m worth more than a million canaries!” Because honestly, if God cares about every feather of a tiny canary, He surely cares about each of us even more.
There’s one other thing… because God is so loving, gracious, and merciful, and always willing to stand up for us… we must be willing to do the same. If we turn our back on God and try to make a go of things on our own terms, we can’t expect Him to bail us out of the mess we make! God is not Burger King… we can’t have it our way… and we can’t pick and choose when to serve Him and when we want to try something different! We really don’t want to do that anyway… because we’ve all seen how badly things go when we try to do them without God in control.
So thank God today for valuing you so highly – for caring about every intricate detail of your life. Ask Him to show you how to serve Him better… and take a stab at caring about the details of HIS life in return. Stand proudly knowing you are so important to Almighty God… and always remember who has your back!
©2011 Debbie Robus
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