It was picture day and I sent my child to school in a shirt that perfectly matched the pale blue background he sat in front of. When the cameraman said, “Say cheese,” I’m shocked he never said, “Where’d you go kid?”
The garbage man drove by. I’m sure he shook his head, again, as he saw the 12 bags of trash sitting on my porch that never made it to the dumpster.
I never made it to Grandparent’s Day at school, I was having an “I don’t like old people” day. But how do you explain depression and anxiety issues to a 6 year old?
These are a few things that cause me to hear that voice that says…
You’re not good enough, you’ll never be good enough.
Give up, you’re never going to change.
God has no use for people like you.
You’re a loser with a capital L.
Okay, so I’m not perfect. Actually I’m far from perfect. Those first 3 paragraphs are only a short list of my best messups! I may list a few of my worst ones later on down the road, but that’s for another time.
What I’ve learned is, we don’t have to be perfect for God to use us. We don’t have to be Mom of the Year to be able to encourage someone. We don’t have to be happy happy happy, to offer someone a smile. We just need to strive to be more like Jesus.
I struggle with depression and anxiety, I’m forgetful, I’m impatient, please don’t make me go on. How about you? Does the enemy fill your head with lies? In yesterday’s post we talked about fear. When the enemy corrupts our thinking with lies, like fear, this too is a stronghold. Saying you’re not good enough, is satan’s favorite bluff.
Know who you are in Christ. Reject anything that goes against the Word of God. Don’t be bound by lies but bind the lies with God’s truth! When he calls us “loser”, remember he is the accuser. Revelation 12:10b For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
And he is the father of lies. John 8:44c When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
The thing is, I have learned that lies from satan are just that. Lies. When we have accepted Christ as our personal Lord and Savior who does God say that we are?
1 A child of God
John 1:12 Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God —
2 I am His friend
John 15:14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
3 I am blessed
Ephesians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
4 I am forgiven
Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.
5 I am a citizen of heaven
Philippians 3:20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.
6 He chose me
1 Thessalonians 1:4 For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that He has chosen you,
When we have those bad days, and we will have those bad days, run to Jesus and pray like your hair is on fire, for yourself and each other. The bible calls it, “praying fervently.” Now that we know who we are in Christ, let’s grow together and encourage one another in our “not so perfect” lives. Praying one for another. James 5:16 (KJV) Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.