I’m so happy to have friends gift me with their words to share with you! This month, I’m sharing my friend Betsy Cruz with you. Her words are always inspiring to me and her guest post here is no different. Enjoy her encouraging words!
As I stepped out the door, I realized I had my shirt on backwards, but I kept going rather than turning back to go change. After all, it was only 7:00 am, and I was headed for the walking trail. Who would be there, and even if people saw, who would care?
I can rock this backward shirt look, I said. No problem here.
However, minutes later I noticed the park was more crowded than I thought. Lots of women were wearing fashionable, color-coordinated Lycra exercise clothes. They had cute, colorful tennis shoes too. I looked down at my non-fashion statement: gray Nikes, black running shorts, and a nondescript grayish brownish T-shirt, which happened to be on backwards. All of a sudden, I felt like something was vaguely wrong with me.
Do you ever have a sinking feeling that you’re not quite right?
- Not quite thin or pretty enough?
- Not emotionally healthy enough?
- Not smart or savvy enough?
- Not a good enough daughter, wife, mother, or friend?
Sometimes we wear a “Not Enough” label just like I wore that backwards T-shirt. We even let “Not Enough” sink into our hearts.
We forget that Christ has clothed us:
“I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels.” Isaiah 61:10
We’ve all seen how a bride looks and feels beautiful in her wedding dress. She shines as she walks down the aisle. We have reasons to feel beautiful too. We’re decked out in salvation. We’ve been clothed with Christ and His righteousness, and that’s something to rejoice in.
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How do we go from a “Backwards Shirt” to a “Wedding Dress” mentality?
- Change our Focus
If I keep looking at myself long enough, I see more and more “not enough.” After all, I’m the woman who puts her foot in her mouth and says the wrong thing on a regular basis. I’m the critical, complaining one. Not quite nice or holy enough.
When I keep my eyes on Christ and what He’s done for me, I see more and more who I am in Him. My favorite reminder is Colossians 1:22:
“But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.”
This verse gives me the courage to stop accusing myself of “not enough.” Christ has made me holy and blameless.
- Remain in His Love
Some mornings, when I particularly need it, I start the day by sitting still a moment and asking God to fill me with His love. Amazingly, it works. Somehow I feel more confidant and hopeful, more comfortable in my own skin.
“As the Father has loved me,” Jesus said, “So have I loved you. Now remain in my love.” ~John 15:9
I’ve thought long and hard about what on earth it means to remain in Christ’s love, and the best answer I’ve come up with is to ask Him to pour it into my heart and to continually go back to words of scripture that speak of His love for me.
Learning to lay down our “Not Enough” labels and clothe ourselves with Christ is a life-long process. My faith grows, and God’s love seems more real when I feed my heart and mind with God’s truth.
I’m slowly learning to rock the Wedding Dress look, even on backwards T-shirt mornings.
Now it’s your turn: Do you ever feel “not enough?” How do you handle it?
Betsy de Cruz writes to encourage women to stick close to God, even when life gets bumpy and crazy. Her free guide, 10 Days to More, shows readers 10 ways to do devotional Bible study. It’s available at Betsy’s blog, Faithspillingover.com, where you’ll find Bible study and prayer tips, as well as encouragement for family life and everyday faith. You can also find Betsy on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
Linking with Brenda at #ChasingCommunity
