Jen’s Gem: See yourself as God sees you.
For the past few months, I’ve been on a weight loss program that has literally transformed my life. The extra pounds came off and I’m sleeping better, thinking more clearly, and have more energy. All good until I stand in front of my closet with little to wear. Thank goodness for Zoom meetings!
I am in the process of replacing some items in my wardrobe. This week I received some tops and shorts that I’d ordered online with the help of my stylist to the stars friend. With limited sizes available for the shorts, I took a risk and ordered the size that was in stock, much smaller than I usually wear. For the tops, I ordered my regular size.
When I tried on the shorts, they fit like a glove. I was shocked. However, I was swimming in the tops. I sent pictures to my friend who texted me with a message that was something to the effect of “You’re not seeing yourself as you really are.”
While she was clearly referring to my inability to judge what size I am, her words were so much more telling.
A few months ago, I took an assessment that is geared toward identifying your innate traits and characteristics. Its results went far beyond the normal personality tests because you can see how you are wired, what makes you tick. When I reviewed the results, they were spot on.
Additionally, I recently took a spiritual gifts test, which is designed to help you identify the gifts God has placed in you to fulfill His purpose and plan for your life. Again, the results did not surprise me.
When I combined the two test results, I was able to see a clearer picture of who I am in, in theory anyway. Yet, is this who I am to the world or is it who I keep locked up out of fear or insecurity?
It’s no secret, especially if you have read my book, that I have been on a journey to deepen my faith and strengthen my relationship with God through His Son, Jesus. The path has been bumpy, yet learning to see myself as God sees me, learning more about His plan for my life, has been more than rewarding.
Overcoming the hang-ups and habits that have plagued me most of my life has been a challenge. Despite my progress, they still call to me in times of weakness or stress. I have to remind myself that I’m no longer that person and that I have a new life now. I know better and when you know better, you’re supposed to do better (Maya Angelou).
God changes us a little at a time, once we put our faith and trust in Him to do so. Trying to do it on our own is a recipe for failure and frustration. When challenges hit me, I have to make a decision. Do I want to react like I always have or do I want to take a deep breath and ask God to help me?
If I have learned anything, it’s that I need God’s help 24/7/365. Doing life without Him is no longer an option for me. Living a life less that what He’s planned for me is no longer what I want. Have I got it all figured out? Nope. Not yet. But I’m getting there.
It takes time to make lasting changes. It takes time to fully embrace who you are and how God sees you. Clearly I’m off base with my wardrobe and according to those assessments, I’ve still got work to do. However, God woke me up this morning and so He’s not done with me yet. If He’s not giving up on me, I won’t either. God always finishes what He starts.
“…being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”(Philippians 1:6 NKJV)
While I wish I’d have figured this out decades ago, I can’t look back. God will take the good, bad, and the ugly of my life and transform it into something wonderful as it says in Romans 8:28 (NKJV):
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
My job – and yours as well – is to get in alignment with how God sees you. Not the reflection in the mirror. Not the size of the clothes in your closet. Not as the world tells you. All of these are false. They are lies meant to derail you from fulfilling God’s purpose in your life.
When you see yourself as your Father in heaven sees you, everything will fit like a glove.
If I can help you in any way to begin this journey or if you just need someone to pray for you, I hope you’ll reach out to me.