You are valued

You will never amount to anything.”

“What is wrong with you?” “Idiot!”

Many of us had such things said to us during our formative years. Many others have been told similar things as we’ve gotten older.

“I can’t believe you couldn’t make your marriage work.”

“You are an embarrassment; I can’t believe you lost your job!”

“Your grandfather would be ashamed of you if he was still alive.”

And we buy into the message behind the words because, let’s be honest, many times they were spoken to us by our “sweet Christian Aunt” or our parent who never misses church.

And since they are church people, if that’s what they think about us, these things also have to be what God thinks of us too, right?

So, we give up. We quit trying to pursue Jesus or find God. Because if we can’t even please our parents or our Christian aunt, how in the world will we ever please God?

My friend, let me say something to you I wish we would’ve heard a long time ago. If this is the kind of attitude your “Christian” friend or relative is displaying toward you, they don’t know God!

So often, we overlook a few things when it comes to a walk with God: mainly love, kindness and grace. These are some of the most important elements of a true walk with God.

For just a moment, think about a couple of things. Why do you feel that you aren’t good enough for God? Why did you quit pursuing Jesus or trying to find God? Was it because of someone who was encouraging you or was it because of a person or a church that kept discouraging you?

Now ask, was God anywhere in the situation that discouraged you? If the words spoken to you or the attitude displayed toward you was not in love, then the answer is, no — God was not in that message.

Don’t allow someone who has fooled themselves into believing they are serving God but has never actually been born anew in the Holy Spirit to keep you from knowing a loving God.

Among everything God created, you are His masterpiece (Ephesians 2.10). You are unique. You are one of a kind. You are loved. And you are known by name by God.

When the enemy starts to whisper harmful words from yesterday into my ear and I start to question my worth and value, I remember Saul’s conversion in Acts 9 as he was traveling to the town of Damascus.

Saul had been an enemy of Jesus. He had persecuted and killed those who were the followers of Jesus. But on that road on that day, Jesus spoke to Saul. A few days later, Saul decided to follow Jesus. He wrote two-thirds of the New Testament and planted churches all over the region.

I remind myself that if God used Saul, no matter what others have said, God will use me too. Don’t let untrue words from yesterday keep you from being what call has called you to be.