Created With Character

You made all the delicate inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous--how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!

(Psalm 139:13-17 NLT)

"God's character goes into the creation of every person. When you feel worthless or even begin to hate yourself, remember that God's Spirit is ready and willing to work within you. We should have as much respect for ourselves as our Maker has for us." --Life Application Bible on Psalm 139:13-15.

This passage touches me closely. I am reminded of God's tender care for us. On the days I'm too tired to even ponder my purpose I can know that there is a God who loves me. Reading this part of Psalm 139 over and over I cannot deny that in whatever circumstance I am facing, good or bad, God is in it. He laid out every moment ahead of time with a desire to love me every step of the way. He didn't whip me up out of nothing because He was bored. He didn't overlook any details. And He didn't frown at any "imperfection" in me--be it that silly bump on my nose or my lack of height. God is Royalty, Christ is King. He is the Author and Perfecter of our faith. And I was created in the hands of Royalty. Nope, nothing about me was a mistake. His thoughts about me are precious and cannot be numbered.

When a woman is placed on the cover a magazine she is "edited" to "perfection." Air brushed, photoshopped, angled, heightened, clipped, cut, nipped, tucked, glossed, bronzed, and more. This has become norm for us. Someone has said, "this is beautiful." I do believe the women on those covers are beautiful--they were beautiful before they were even born. They were created with a purpose and are precious in God's sight. But society tries to tell her that's not enough. And they disrespect God's design thinking they can do a better job at "beauty." Now, don't get me wrong, I like cute clothes, looking hot, putting on some bronzer and volumizing my hair. But I think (or at least hope) you know what I'm getting at here.

This is why I cannot order magazines or watch t.v. half the time. It disheartens me--and maybe I'm a little more sensitive than others. Or maybe many of us our desensitized? I don't know. But, listen to the thoughts in your mind and see if any of them are telling you that you are not enough. Refute those thoughts with scriptures like the one above. You are wonderfully complex. You are God's workmanship. How precious are His thoughts about you. Stand in agreement with God today.

Is there any scripture that helps you get through negative self talk? Please share with other readers below!

Created For A Purpose

"God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him."

(John 1:3)

"When God created, he made something from nothing. Because we are created beings, we have no bases for pride. Remember that you exist only because God made you, and you have special gifts only because God gave them to you. With God you are something valuable and unique; apart from God you are nothing, and if you try to live without him, you will be abandoning the purpose for which you were made." -Life Application Bible

"The Purpose Driven Life," is a book many of us are aware of, have read, or briefly skimmed. I did the whole 40 day deal (you are supposed to read one chapter a day for 40 days) and it indeed was eye-opening for me. Did it change my life? Not really, but it certainly equipped me and stuck with me. I love the idea of living a life with purpose, on purpose. It fires me up every time I think about it and maybe that has a little to do with my personality.

Without being a psychologist or scientist, though, I think it's safe for me to assess that we all are attracted to the idea of living a life with purpose. Deep down I think we all desire to know our purpose or to even be reassured we DO have a purpose in life. It's part of our DNA; it's a longing that just comes with the package since we were created by a Creator for a purpose, after all.

I think it's a beautiful thing when someone finally wakes up to their purpose. When someone realizes they are nothing without God but are wonderful and unique with him. When they realize that God loves them, and that the unique ways they were created start to line up in a way that reveal further God's plan for their lives. When living as a slave to this world is no longer appealing and fully living for God sets them free. Can't you just see it now? A young mother lives with the lie that her abusive boyfriend is all there is in this world for her, but finally realizes that all he has said and done to put her down are not true about who she really is? That she finally realizes she was created with a purpose and that God's purpose for her life was not to be in an abusive relationship but to be set free? God sent His one and only Son to die for her sins and set her free! With an awakened sense of purpose she is finally able to distinguish lie and truth and stand strong in her identity in Jesus Christ.

There is so much hope and freedom in living for God. The fate of living for ourselves and for the pleasures of this world is essentially death. In "The Weight of Glory," C.S. Lewis says,

".....it would seem that Our

Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but

too weak. We are half-hearted creatures,

fooling about with drink and sex and

ambition when infinite joy is offered us,

like an ignorant child who wants to go on

making mud pies in a slum because he

cannot imagine what is meant by the offer

of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily

pleased."

Consistent prayer, reading God's Word, and fellowshipping with other believers who speak God's truth into my life helps me realize my purpose and constantly move forward in it. Ultimately, having a purpose means we are highly valued and loved by God. That's the most awesome thing about it!

What are some ways you've discovered your purpose in Christ and how do you live that out? What difference has it made in your life and how has it affected your relationships?