Sometimes we use what we have or what we do on a daily basis as a mirror to reflect to us who we are. Let me rephrase that, more often than not, we base our worth on what we have or do not have, on what we do or do not do...what our lives consist of. None of us are immune to it, none of us have overcome it to a point where we do not have to check our hearts every now and than. God's Word is true when He reminds us of how much we don't even know our own hearts. In fact, most may not even realize that it is a burden we carry until something beyond our control comes and shakes us up a little. In the change that God has recently allowed to happen in my life, I found myself questioning my worth. Really Tamara? Yep, for reals. I found that in my prayers I was starting to ask the Lord what I really had to offer. I mean, beyond this sparkling personality and smile..(just seeing if you guys were still with me :)) But seriously, broken I came to the Lord questioning my worth. It's crazy to think how easily we allow the changes and situations in our lives, that our great God has allowed, to determine how we eventually see ourselves. Seemingly good or bad, if we are not careful we start to believe it.
A few days ago, the Lord knew I was ready to receive what He had to say to me. I was sitting on my couch, seeking my God for just about everything and He sweetly spoke these truths in my heart. In a way that only He can, He said, "By removing your job, I did not remove your self worth. In fact, I am showing you just how worth it you are. Nothing that you have or do not have defines you, your worth is in Me alone and I needed you to learn that. When I take things away, it's because you are worth so much more." I have said it before and I will say it again, the Lord knows exactly what He is doing and what we need to go through to see what He wants us to see about ourselves and about who we are in Him! That's love.
We are all in different seasons in our lives and where ever you are is exactly where the Lord wants you to be. You may feel that because you are a stay-at-home mom, a single parent, not married, in a tough marriage, divorced, unemployed, just a teacher, just a friend, the leader of a group or not a leader at all that you may not have anything else really to offer. You may be sick, or struggling, or feel like a failure, or you may not know where you stand in life..(if we are honest with each other this list could really go on and on) but you can not allow these situations or feelings to become intertwined in your worth. It just doesn't work that way in the Lord's eyes. God made you worth it when He chose to die in your place. When He created you from the dust of the ground, when He established your days before He established the foundations of this Earth, He ordained your worth in Him. Sometimes He just has to allow us to go through some of the toughest situations in life for us to see the real truth about ourselves that He already knows.
Side Note: As I was fighting the Lord about writing about this (I didn't win), I was sent this devotion from a great ministry called 'Proverbs 31 Ministry'. I was really blessed by it and God used it to confirm to me that I am on the right track! Be blessed.
Click here to read it!