Accepting who you are
Beckie Littler,
26th Jan 2018
Tags:
Life
Blog
Individuality
Jesus
Purpose
You have probably heard it said that other people couldn't walk a mile in your shoes. They are right. No-one else could, because no-one else is supposed to.
That's because we are all unique.
But not me...
I am not particularly special. I wasn't good at Maths, French, or even RE, and I call myself a Christian. I didn't excel in sports and I have agreed to disagree with all forms of technology.
I am not special and I am not unique.
So no, I am not special and I am not unique.
So imagine my utter terror at being told that God wanted to use me! Use me? What for? What would I have to do? What was the catch?
As it turns out. I didn't really have to do anything, I just asked Jesus to be my friend through the hard times and the good times and he has done the rest.
Now God has found me a job that I love and he helps with lots of issues that day to day life brings.
However recently I felt God saying that I should do something crazy. I should stand up in front of a church full of people, most of them I didn't know, and talk to them about Jesus through the Christingle on Christmas Eve. Eek.
Sometimes God asks you to do easy things, but this was not one of those times. I was terrified.
The time to give the talk came and I was watching the church fill up with people, all excited for Christmas.
Do you ever want the floor to open up and swallow you whole?
The more people who came, the less I wanted to be there. Do you ever want the floor to open up and swallow you whole? Yeah me too.
So then I stood up to deliver my talk. "Good mafternoon everyone."
Yes you read right, I said "mafternoon." Mafternoon isn't even a real word, but in my first ever talk in church, within the first sentence I had messed it up.
I told you I wasn't good at anything. So I carried on with my talk and then quickly returned to my seat. What a nightmare! Seriously why did I agree to this?
Then the service ended and everyone I walked past said that I spoke well and the talk was really good. Huh? Maybe I am not as bad as I thought.
That's the point though, I thought I was bad at everything, but everyone else didn't. That's because it's normal to think the worst of ourselves, but that's not what Jesus thinks. He thinks your amazing and that's the only opinion that matters.
Next time you feel like you’re not good enough. Think again, because God says in the Bible that you are fearfully and wonderfully made.
So next time you feel like you’re not good enough. Think again, because God says in the Bible that you are fearfully and wonderfully made.
I understand that you may be reading this thinking how stupid it sounds to say you are fearfully and wonderfully made, and I used to think the same thing. I even sometimes still can't quite wrap my head around it. But that doesn't mean it isn't true, that just means we don’t understand it.
It also says that the creator of the universe (and everything in it), made you in his perfect and wonderful image! Mind blown!!!
I am a lot like my dad. I laugh at the same jokes he does and we both like marmite and playing jokes on people around us. But I look like my mum, I mean it's uncanny. My point is that just because you may look a certain way and the world thinks that you fit in a certain box, that doesn't make it true.
You are unique and special and powerful.
You are unique and special and powerful.
A famous motivational speaker once said, "Try your best and let God do the rest." Your best is good enough and when it still feels like it's not enough, those are the times God can help.
He has certainly helped me through some really tough times in my life and I am sure He will continue to do that.
I was asked recently why I decided to become a youth leader, and the simple answer is that I refuse to see teenagers by anything other than their potential. Young people are powerful and they have a voice and opportunities that some people could only dream of.
The world may say "no," but God says "yes."
The world may say "no," but God says "yes." He made you and said it was good.
My biggest hope through doing these blogs, is that if you're reading this today and it's speaking to you, that you will know that it’s not because I tell a great story, but it’s because you're meant to be reading this.
Wake up tomorrow knowing that you're awesome because God made you that way.
Wake up tomorrow knowing that you're awesome because God made you that way.
