Every night when we are tucking our youngest boys into bed, we pray with them. Oftentimes, I find myself praying that they would “grow more confident every day in who God created them to be”.
I want Oliver to be himself and be the hilarious kid who thinks outside of the box and is always ready for a challenge, regardless of who is watching or listening. I want Jesse to be our brave boy who is loyal and protects the things and people that he loves well, even when it is hard to do that.
When I pray that phrase over them, I can find myself wondering, “Wait. Am I confident in who God created me to be?” And to be honest, sometimes I’m not.
Each season has its ups and downs, its high points and struggles. And to be transparent, this past season of transitioning into a new year has been heavy on the struggle side for me. Between the chaos of the holiday get-togethers, the difficult relationships to navigate with family members, and just pure exhaustion that comes with juggling more than usual, I have been less than confident in who God created me to be.
I’m thankful that even in the middle of hard seasons, God reminds us who we are and who we are not. The following points are my personal takeaways from God recently reminding who He created me to be.
I am not called to worry.
Oh, this one is hard for me! I come from a long line of worriers and come by it naturally from both genetics and by example. But God says that worry is not part of who He created us to be. Matthew 6:34 “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Amen!
I am not called to be perfect.
Speaking as a “1” on the Enneagram, I slip into a perfectionistic role rather easily. I can be so very hard on myself. And when I recognize this happening, I know I am not in a healthy place. Thankfully God doesn’t leave me there, striving for something that is unattainable without Him. Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on until the day of Jesus Christ.” I need to rely on the only perfect One who was and is and ever will be.
I am called to have a grateful heart in all situations.
We are studying the book of Job with our little boys right now at dinnertime. One of the questions that we asked them recently is “How can you be thankful even when really hard things are happening in your life?” Jesse said, “You find Jesus!” That little boy taught me more with his simple answer than I could have found in most adult commentaries. You find Jesus, and you’ll find gratitude. Hebrews 13:15 “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise–the fruit of lips that openly profess His name.”
I am called to be connected to the Lord and to His people.
Isolation is a tool of the enemy. The wolf isolates the one sheep so he can attack easily. So when I’m feeling isolated, I step back and evaluate who and what I am letting into my life. Is it healthy? Does it point me toward Jesus? If it’s not, then I don’t need to let it occupy my time. Acts 2:42 “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” I love that God calls us to both live with Him and know that we have a place in His family.
So I will continue to say this little prayer every night over our boys and over myself. Let us all continue to grow confident in who He created us to be.
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