The Complete Package - Encouragement Café - November 17, 2015

The Complete Package

Café Menu for Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Today’s Special is:  Seeing Ourselves From God’s Viewpoint

Carefully prepared just for you by your friend, Joan Walker Hahn

Main Ingredient:

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Colossians 3:12 NIV

Entrée:

Everywhere we look there are images of the “perfect” body, the “perfect” car, “perfect” house, family, life, etc.  People seem to be consumed with trying to look the best, have the best and be the best. 

As women, we often compare ourselves and our lives to those “best” things and feel we are coming up far short of what others see as perfect.  This is mistake one – comparing ourselves with others.

Then mistake two is that we start trying to be like everyone else and chase after all of those things. 

Why do we do this to ourselves? 

We look at others and put ourselves down and then we try to be like the very ones who make us feel inferior.

We need to start looking at ourselves from God’s perspective.  When we accept Christ as our Savior, we are new creations in Him.  It doesn’t matter what our outward appearance is, only the condition of our heart matters to God. 

Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation.

Galatians 6:15 NIV

When we get to feeling down, we need to ask ourselves two questions. 

Do we believe in Christ?

And, do we believe that God’s Word is true? 

If we have accepted Christ as our Savior, we are in Him and we need to believe what He says in His Word. 

We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.  We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true.  And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ.  He is the true God and eternal life.

1 John 5:19-20 NIV

And just as we learn to believe how God sees us, we are told to not believe the things the world says about us.

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.  For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

Colossians 2:8-10 NKJV

Take Out:

So how does God see us? 

We were created in God’s image; we are God’s handiwork; we are His chosen people; we are overcomers.  All of these things, and even more, are true for everyone.  God does have specific plans for every individual, and gives different talents and spiritual gifts to each one, but no one is better than anyone else in His sight. 

Yes, it’s hard to not compare ourselves with others; but as we really stop to think about the fact that God loved us so much that He sent His only Son to die for us, how can we not but believe that in His eyes we are significant and important?  

Take time to study His Word and accept in your heart that we are precious to God.  And as we let that truth really soak into our hearts and mind, we will be of more use to Him and we will be able to encourage others around us that we are the complete package because of Christ living in us.

Dessert:

My Heavenly Father,

Thank You for sending Your only Son to die, just for me!  In this world so full of self-importance, help me to see that I am important to You.  May I always keep my eyes on You instead of accepting the things the world says about me.  Thank You, Father, that in You I am complete.  Please use me to fulfill the plan You have for my life.  Amen.   

© 2015 by Joan Walker Hahn.  All rights reserved.

Do you know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior?  Pull up a chair… He’s been waiting for you.

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