It's a tad late to wish a Happy New Year but I sure hope that it's kicked off good for everyone. Ours kicked off with being so THANKFUL for what God has done and is doing. As I told my family as we were reminiscing over 2024, "There is a lot of 2024 I DO NOT WANT A RE-DO but the Lord has surely taught me so very much. I am truly thankful for each breath, each day, family and close friends. We had our three youngest grands for New Years Eve. We had a great time and the girls enjoyed a little fishing, bonfire with their great-grandfather and roasting marshmallows. Their great-grandfather will be 90 years old next month. As most of you know I do a monthly focus board and this makes my 3rd or 4th year. I've lost count. Only fitting that New Beginnings would be my focus for January. This has been so good for me as it sits on my kitchen counter so I can see it daily. Wonderful way to focus and quote God's Word daily. I felt up to hosting a lunch and movie day with ...
As women, so many of
us find ourselves:
Basing our self-worth on how others see us and on our
accomplishments
Defining our value based on our looks
Pleasing everyone on the home front, the family, co-workers,
friends and even the church community.
But it doesn’t have
to be this way. If only we could see ourselves as God sees us!
We
say to ourselves: “I must be loved or approved by every significant other
person in my life and all my accomplishments must be great".
The
Truth is: If we are living to make
sure that others love us, we give them permission to evaluate us based on what
we do – we give people the power to
determine our self-worth.
We think: If ONLY I had her hair, her height, her weight, her skin, her clothes
and etc. then I would be perfect.
The
Truth is: If God had intended
for us to look like HER He would have made all women to look alike. We have
been fashioned and designed by the Master Craftsman to look like WHO we are.
We
think: I must please everyone every
waking second of my day.
The
Truth is: People pleasing goes
back to basing our self-worth on the expectations of others! If we are truly His
servants, then our primary goal will be to please God first, not others.
We as Christians tend to often live within our comfort zone in order to avoid
confrontation, aiming never to give offence or get angry, and then becoming
over-responsible. We doubt our self-worth, and because we have a desperate need
for approval, fear to say, “No.” Because we believe love and acceptance is earned
we live under the lie that we need to do something to gain the love and
acceptance of God. But God’s love is unconditional; freely given, through the
Lord Jesus, as a gift of grace.
What we
think about ourselves will ultimately become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Let
me pray for us all now ladies: Dear Father God, I do want to please You.
Forgive me for the times I let my desire to be accepted by a person outweigh my
desire to please You. Thank You for Your love and for accepting me
unconditionally. Thank you Father for creating me to be me. Help me to be a
better servant, doing the right thing, not the people-pleasing thing. Give me courage and peace to withstand the
pressure I feel when others are displeased with my answers. I pray this and all
prayers in the name of the One who was the perfect servant, Jesus Christ; Amen
Hugs and blessings, Cindy
Cindy,
ReplyDeleteI need to print and post this entry in my office. This was wonderful, just what I needed to hear. Thank you for reminding us all that we need to be ourselves as God intended, not what someone else thinks we should be.
Thank you for sharing.
(Thanks too for dropping by my site.)
Sharlotte
Timely message for me today. Have you been reading my thoughts?
ReplyDeleteConnie Royals
These healing words are SO needed by a hurting generation of women striving after physical perfection. Thank you so much for writing them!
ReplyDeleteOuch!!! Thanks for the reminder...I think!! ;-)
ReplyDeleteIf we could just know how much HE loves us and the value HE places on each of us, it would change the way we see ourselves. To think that He chose to create each of us in a special, unique way should say something! Thanks for the reminder to be the me HE created me to be!
ReplyDelete~Adrienne~
The girls and I were just talking on this subject. You brought out some great points to consider!
ReplyDeleteLovely and helpful as always, Cindy. Thank you, and thank you, too, for visiting my espresso post and your sweet comment. ~Zuni
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for stopping by! I started doing a tree or two for every holiday after seeing one in my Dr.'s office!!
ReplyDeleteHugs
Debbie
Oh, I think you were describing me. Thanks for the wise godly words and the prayer, Cindy. I need to go back and reread this often.
ReplyDeleteOh, Cindy - I really needed to hear these words today. I'm networking with a couple of other Christian businesswomen and we are really working through this very issue in a number of ways as the Lord guides our steps in building a new work. Sometimes it is so hard to be comfortable in our own skin. Bless you!
ReplyDeleteKathy