Beings that I'm a painter, to hear God say I'm His masterpiece has always been so comforting. I imagine He picked out every physical feature I have and then smiled when He added my gifts and personality traits. Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." Not only did He create me as an individual masterpiece, but Paul writes that WE are His masterpiece, not masterpieces. God created me just the way He wanted me to fit in with the entire picture, on earth and in heaven.
I've struggled with "belonging" my entire life. I was born into an unhealthy marriage between my parents. To my dad I was an accident and a lie because my mom thought she couldn't have children. Don't get me wrong, my parents love me, but from the start I didn't belong in their picture. I've struggled because I was an only child, because I switched schools often, and as I get older my communities have changed as well, making it difficult to find a sense of belonging on this Earth. But God says this was all a part of His masterpiece, His design, His plan. I am made whole through Him. I find my belonging through Him.
It wasn't until recently that I truely understood this. I've had to rely on God to fill my every need. I've also had to retrain myself to seek guidance from Him instead of people. Since I was not brought up in a Christian home, I have had to learn all of this through the college of hard knocks. How to be a Christian wife, a Christian mom, a Christian friend, a Christian daughter, and a child of God.
I remember when all of this first started to click. I was craving a date with my husband about a year ago. We had just moved to a new home, far away from anything we were familiar with (including a babysitter). We hadn't been on a date in about 6 months. Instead of harping on my husband to take me out, I started to pray, asking God to fill ny needs. Husband, about a week later, took me to my favorite restaurant and on a beautiful sunset drive while holding hands and a sleeping toddler in the back seat. Even though we had him with us, it was the first time in a long time we felt like we had a date. When I had become so desperate and finally turned to God, He was excited to fulfilled my needs. He was probably thinking, "what took you so long"? Haha.
Now that the hard core toddler years are here, I'm relying on God for the strength to get through the rough days. I found implementing scripture into our son's life gives him strength. Especially when he gets frustrated when he "can't" do something all by his independent self. It also keeps me focused on God rather than my, what sometimes seems like, inability to parent successfully.
Now I'm working on relying on God to be nice to myself. I often critique His masterpiece. And if God's anything like me, a critique of something so personal hurts. Thank God He's patient with me. Beside's, doesn't God tell us to love our neighbor as OURSELF (Matthew 23:39), and that the definition of LOVE is: patient, kind, etc... (1 Corrinthians 13:4)? We are commended to love OURSELF, our neighbor and God. He wants me to love me.
Can you see yourself as a masterpiece in an art gallery filled with other amazing masterpieces that all fit together? God can.
I've struggled with "belonging" my entire life. I was born into an unhealthy marriage between my parents. To my dad I was an accident and a lie because my mom thought she couldn't have children. Don't get me wrong, my parents love me, but from the start I didn't belong in their picture. I've struggled because I was an only child, because I switched schools often, and as I get older my communities have changed as well, making it difficult to find a sense of belonging on this Earth. But God says this was all a part of His masterpiece, His design, His plan. I am made whole through Him. I find my belonging through Him.
It wasn't until recently that I truely understood this. I've had to rely on God to fill my every need. I've also had to retrain myself to seek guidance from Him instead of people. Since I was not brought up in a Christian home, I have had to learn all of this through the college of hard knocks. How to be a Christian wife, a Christian mom, a Christian friend, a Christian daughter, and a child of God.
I remember when all of this first started to click. I was craving a date with my husband about a year ago. We had just moved to a new home, far away from anything we were familiar with (including a babysitter). We hadn't been on a date in about 6 months. Instead of harping on my husband to take me out, I started to pray, asking God to fill ny needs. Husband, about a week later, took me to my favorite restaurant and on a beautiful sunset drive while holding hands and a sleeping toddler in the back seat. Even though we had him with us, it was the first time in a long time we felt like we had a date. When I had become so desperate and finally turned to God, He was excited to fulfilled my needs. He was probably thinking, "what took you so long"? Haha.
Now that the hard core toddler years are here, I'm relying on God for the strength to get through the rough days. I found implementing scripture into our son's life gives him strength. Especially when he gets frustrated when he "can't" do something all by his independent self. It also keeps me focused on God rather than my, what sometimes seems like, inability to parent successfully.
Now I'm working on relying on God to be nice to myself. I often critique His masterpiece. And if God's anything like me, a critique of something so personal hurts. Thank God He's patient with me. Beside's, doesn't God tell us to love our neighbor as OURSELF (Matthew 23:39), and that the definition of LOVE is: patient, kind, etc... (1 Corrinthians 13:4)? We are commended to love OURSELF, our neighbor and God. He wants me to love me.
Can you see yourself as a masterpiece in an art gallery filled with other amazing masterpieces that all fit together? God can.
posted from Bloggeroid
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