Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. ~1 John 3:2 (ESV)
What’s in a name? It is easy to see the names or labels we don’t like about ourselves. When I was ten and a teacher was waving my test paper and telling my mom that I was lazy for not spelling a word correctly that was at the top of the page, I interpreted the situation to mean that I was stupid. I didn’t “see” that the word was misspelled. The result of living with some things just not clicking has turned me into a very hard worker. That has at times come to benefit me. I have learned to work around the things that I cannot do. But the pain from moments like those can sometimes be a huge stumbling block when I find myself in new situations. It can cause stress when God calls me to go and do things out of my comfort zone and I worry about what all I won’t be able to “see”.
But then God reminds me that I am not seeing things correctly. That I need to see myself through His eyes. God does not see me as stupid. He sees that I am creative in my approach to problems. God does not see me as lazy. He understands when sometimes I don’t understand things. He is the One person who can see me so completely and still love me unconditionally. I am totally known by Him. God recognizes that I am not perfect. He loves me anyway. This total acceptance by Him leaves me in awe and wonder. How can someone see me as I am AND see me as all the possibilities I could be? I am not limited by what has come before me. I am not defined by what others say. I am a child of God. That is the name I claim today.
Dear God, thank You for making me a possibility. Thank You for believing in me when I couldn’t believe in myself. Walk with me this day and be the confidence I need to be Your hands and feet in this world. Turn my pain into sight. Fill the holes in my heart with Your love. Help me accept the things that You see as wonderful. Help me accept that I am uniquely Yours. Help me to hear when You say I am beautiful. Amen.
Pieces of the Puzzle 