So, I have a question for you, how do you see yourself? Think about it, how do you truly see yourself?
I asked a group of young ladies once to write down honest answers on how they saw themselves. When I read their answers, I was heartbroken. Their answers were "forgotten, not enough, lonely, not as pretty as everyone else." Of course when I look at them I see beautiful young women of God, smart, funny, and created for a special and divine purpose. But I want them to see that!
Yes their answers upset me, but when I was honest and answered the same question myself, my answers were not positive either. I often see myself as a failure. A failure as a wife, as a mother, as a teacher, as a homemaker. I'm sure you can relate, I mean as women we wear so many different hats. Sometimes it seems there is just not enough time in the day, not enough gold fish in the cabinet or milk in the fridge, and we feel we are not enough either.
Beth Moore said once, that the enemy watches and studies us to learn how we see ourselves and then he does his very best to convince us that we are those things. And ladies, if we are not in Gods word, we will begin to believe those lies that the enemy whispers in our ears. I heard a wise minister once say "the only way to kill a lie is with the Truth!"
I was praying one morning for our children and I looked up and saw The Avengers on a bag they had gotten for Christmas. It was like God was saying "this is how I see all of My children." I don't know if you are familiar with The Avengers, if you are a boy mom I'm sure you are! On this picture, they all look so fearless and confident and ready for battle. We never see Hulk afraid that this bad guy may be too scary or Iron Man worried that his thrusters won't work, or Captain America wondering if his shield is able to protect him. That's silly! And it's also silly when God's children walk around afraid, worried, and defeated in day to day life.
Yes, it's silly because He sees us as more than conquerors and as mighty warriors. After I asked these ladies how they saw themselves, we talked about Gideon. Gideon was from the least of the tribes of Israel and was the least of his family. When the Lord found him, he was hiding in the wine press from his enemies threshing wheat. The Angel of Lord approached him and addressed him as "mighty warrior." Gideon, who was hiding and afraid and from the least of the least...... a mighty warrior?? Yes, God sees us as who He created us to be; not as we see ourselves.
So, no we are not failures, we are not less than, we are certainly not forgotten, we are His masterpiece designed for a specific and beautiful purpose. Our confidence is not in ourselves, but in He who made us. When we soak in God's word, the lies of the enemy will disappear and we will believe and know the truth, that in Gods eyes we are mighty warriors. He is our creator, so it's time we start seeing ourselves how He sees us so we can accomplish the work He has called us to do.
