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It doesn’t matter what others think of you, and it also doesn’t matter what you think of yourself. What matters is what God thinks of you. . .
How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! (Psalm 139:17-18a, NLT)
We are sinners, and it’s easy to allow self-condemnation to dominate our thinking. And others are quick to point out our flaws. However, self-condemnation isn’t the Bible’s plan. . .
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1).
Doubt becomes the clay used by the devil to mold our self-image. He succeeded with Adam and Eve, but not when he tempted Jesus. Living in the promises of God erases all doubt when you know that. . .
I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13).
Personally, I fear public speaking, and yet I’m a public speaker. Every time I speak, I fight self-doubt, fear of what others think, and whether I have anything worthwhile to say. My solace and strength through the years has been. . .
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7).
How about comparing yourself with others? Do you feel jealousy considering another’s abilities or wealth? Does your seeming insignificance hinder the significance of God’s calling in your life? Consider. . .
Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else (Galatians 6:4).
The secret of walking powerfully in Jesus means thinking about yourself according to His thoughts. Perhaps you’ve taken personality tests, finding that you are a lion, a beaver, an ENFP, an activator, a competitor, a high I, or an IPA!
But do you understand clearly what He thinks of you?
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it (Psalm 139:14).
And. . .
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago (Ephesians 2:10).
All of God’s thoughts about you are rooted in His abundant grace, and allowing condemnation, doubt, fear, and comparison to influence your self-image allows you to be formed in an image of someone else’s or even the devil’s thoughts of you.
Remember. . .
You have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15).
Amen!