I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made - Psalms 139:14
Insecurity is a recurring theme in my life and I've been struggling with it for as long as I can remember.
At work, I never give anything less than my best but I still feel that it's not good enough. I feel that there will always be someone better than me and that I'm only as good as my last well-done job.
I see people like me who think this way all over social media and there are already several names it's being called today: High-Functioning Anxiety, Impostor Syndrome, etc., so I know I'm not the only one.
I've been asking God for a long time to help me heal from this in a lot of my devotions because it's so hard. One day, when I decided to use YouVersion Bible app and the preacher for the day was Nona Jones, she mentioned a book she wrote called Killing Comparison: Reject the Lie You Aren't Good Enough and Live Confident in Who God Made You to Be - my answered prayer! (You should read it too!)
...the bigger question is what could Leonardo Da Vinci be thinking about the Mona Lisa? And perhaps another more important question is, how much value have people placed on the Mona Lisa? Do you know what God thinks about you?
The book had a very interesting point about artists that really hit home. I'm sure you've heard the saying 'Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder', but have you ever seen the Mona Lisa? Do you think it's beautiful - why or why not? But the bigger question is what could Leonardo Da Vinci be thinking about the Mona Lisa? And perhaps another more important question is, how much value have people placed on the Mona Lisa? You see I don't think the Mona Lisa or Mona Lisa herself is beautiful - she doesn't have eyebrows, has yellow skin, is a little chubby, etc. But Leonardo Da Vinci must think that it was perfection for him to actually put down his brush and say that it was good. Do you know what God thinks about you?
Very good - Genesis 1:31
Precious, honored, and loved - Isiah 43:4
Fearfully and wonderfully made - Psalms 139:14
Known, consecrated, and appointed, even before you were formed in the womb - Jeremiah 1:5
Now going back to the saying 'Beauty is in the eye of the beholder', I realized, "Why should I give anyone else the power to determine my value if my creator already did that?". Because of Leonardo da Vinci, the Mona Lisa is priceless. And so are we, because of God.
Now going back to the saying "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.", I realized, "Why should I give anyone else the power to determine my value if my creator already did that?".
The book continues to provide a quick and practical sense-check to our insecurities by asking ourselves "WHY DOES IT MATTER?".
Why does it matter that I didn't get 1st place?
Why does it matter that I didn't qualify for the bonus?
Why does it matter that I haven't reached my ideal dress size?
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
This 4-word question is so simple yet so packed in that it helps you explore the deeper parts of you that you haven't or didn't want to explore. Perhaps you've felt that you needed to always be 1st place in school to earn your parents' love. Perhaps you are in need and you know from when you were very young that you have to 'work hard for the money'. Perhaps people have been calling you fat and ugly. It matters because there are people whom we think we need approval from. It matters because of our past hurt and brokenness. It matters because we measure ourselves by the standards of this world. Those were my answers... and I realized that it only mattered because I DIDN'T KNOW WHO GOD IS IN MY LIFE.
I didn't know that He is my FATHER and that His grace is sufficient for me; His power made perfect in my weakness. - 2 Corinthians 6:18, 2 Corinthians 12:9
I didn't know that He is my PROVIDER and that all I needed to do was ask. - Phillippians 4:19, Matthew 7:7
I didn't know that He is my CREATOR. - Genesis 1:26-27
Do I no longer feel insecure? I still do, but I know what to do in those times when the enemy tries to put those lies in my heart. I lean on the secure foundation of WHO GOD IS and WHO HE CREATED ME TO BE.
Let me end this blog by sharing this wonderful song by Matthew West - Truth Be Told. May God bless you with the ability to surrender your insecurities with Him.
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