VALUE has been a lesson of mine for years. I recently became aware of this when a friend pointed out that I am the only one he has ever heard speak of value. I found this hard to believe as I have been pondering this most of my life. I see articles about value but also realize maybe this was confirmation I should share about this. This is the message I bring to the world.
In my childhood I pondered as well as questioned my value and what is this thing called life. Is it real or an illusion? Why am I here. Do I have a purpose and does it matter?
In my teens I felt I had little value and had a tendency to conform to whatever my friends were doing as I thought this would bring me value. This approach did NOT bring me value. Many times it even brought shame or put me in harms way.
I struggled in relating to other children as I always felt I was the odd one out. I worked too hard trying to please my peers and spent a lot of time alone. My mother even mentioned to me as an adult “Do you remember the birthday party you had where none of the girls you invited liked you?”
In my early 20s is when I made a decision to surrender my life to Jesus. I remember the day I made this decision. I actually spoke to him at an early age and tried to live in a way that pleased him. There were pictures on the wall saying “Jesus loves the little children” and I would memorize these. I thought of him and talked to him often.
I remember one party at a young age where I was upset about a very long line for food. My mother said to me “Jesus said the last shall be first” so I ran to the back of the line. I wanted to please him. I always had a love for him. I got into doing things my own way in my teens but in my early 20s I made a committed to follow Jesus once again.
The day I went to the alter I remembered the story of the man at the pool of Bethesda. Everyone thought the reason he couldn’t walk was due to sin in his life or surely the life of his parents and Jesus asked him “Do you want to he healed?” “Then pick up your mat and walk!”I remember really thinking about the question “Do you want to be healed?” I remember really wondering if I was somehow hindering this process of healing for myself. I still wonder at times.
It wasn’t too long after that I read the book “The Search for Significance “. I also became aware if an inner tape recorder in my head playing constant messages putting me down in the sound of my own voice. This is where I began to undo the wrong thinking. I wrote scriptures that declared what GOD says about me such as Psalm 139 on paper and taped these positive affirmations on the inside of all my kitchen cabinet doors.
YOU ARE FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE!!
As my children grew older I went through a total life transformation where everything fell apart. It was a season of learning the true love and grace of God. I had always been such a perfectionist and his love is not based on anything perfect from me. In fact the hotter the mess the greater his grace.
This is where faith grew the strongest within me. It wasn’t inside a church building or the confines of a perfectly carved out life. It was in the trenches of learning to make it on my own. A single mom not even having my kids full time and barely affording gas to go see them.
I was a single mom having to learn to make a living with a cosmetology license and housewife skillsets. I suffered tremendous fear, anxiety and bouts with depression. Outside of work I would hide out at home. I didn’t know how to set boundaries alot of times. I didn’t know how to say no. People were exhausting and draining to me as I absorbed all from others making the weight unbearable. I was exhausted always.
Value. We were bought with a price. The story of Jesus. He came in the flesh and died on a cross. This isn’t just a story. It’s very REAL. HE is very REAL. He is alive and well and working. When we ask him Into our life and heart he comes to dwell there. His very spirit abides in us when we invite him into our life and heart. His spirit guides and teaches us.
His very spirit teaches us all things and let me tell you. There is no value greater than that. He is committed to setting us FREE. His love is deeper then you or I can ever understand. No eye has seen nor ear has heard the goodness he has for us. He knows you better then you know yourself.
He loves you with a love that is bigger, better and deeper then you can ever comprehend. His pursuit of you is relentless. He will NOT forsake abandon or give up on you. The teacher is quiet during a test so you may feel alone at times but he will NEVER let you go.
YOU are VALUABLE to GOD. Value is not based on anything outside of you. Value is not found in circumstances or in the opinion of others. In fact others opinions of us are based in their own limited vision and seen through lenses of their own brokenness. Their opinion of us is none of our business. Gods opinion of us is all that matters and when he looks on us he sees perfection.
Once we have Jesus then the eyes and heart of our Father only see perfection. You can be assured that test you are worried about passing? He will give you the test over and over as many times as it takes and cheer you on everytime!! He is COMMITTED to his children’s success. Those tests and life lessons are because he LOVES us.
Tests, Challenges and tough lessons are NOT punishment but PREPARATION!
This truth truly set me FREE. It's a GAME CHANGER. God is not mad at you. All Champions, Top Athletes, Fiercest Warriors, Kings and Queens have to be TRAINED and this is your Heavenly Fathers deep commitment for you. ONLY THE BEST. HE LOVES YOU. Mathew 7:11
When God says no or not yet to a prayer? It’s because he either has to prepare you or has better planned. Did you know a blessing that you are not prepared for can actually destroy you? He loves you too much for that. He PREPARES you so embrace your PROCESS and ENJOY the Journey.
If he says no then it’s because he has a better plan. We are supposed to ask for the desires of our heart. He WANTS that. He loves to demonstrate his goodness and glory! He loves to show up and show out. A NO is simply “I have a better plan” “I heard you but I know better”. Isn’t that comforting?
We are limited in our beliefs and many times to our life experience. He is GOD who knows ALL including the things we NEED but aren’t aware we need. He is taking us into abundance. He is NOT mad at you! Stop fighting and start praising!! When you cannot understand or trust your circumstances then please KNOW you can trust HIS HEART. He loves you more then you can comprehend.
I am praying for you to experience his love in a way that only you can understand.
VALUE comes from within. Value comes from KNOWING you were bought with a price that is beyond what money could ever purchase. Value is KNOWING you are the very temple that houses the Almighty. So let me ask you. When you become aware of this kind of value how does it affect your choices? You are a living temple
for HIS SPIRIT to dwell. This means not abusing your body. This means not allowing others to abuse your body, mind or spirit. We are a whole package. What we take in either through our mouth, our eyes, or our ears affects our spirit.
Think about this! Take this in and let it resonate within you.
What is broken or hurting in our spirit also affects what we take in through our mind and body. This works both ways. HE is COMMITTED to our healing through and through so that we can see and hear in whole. We cannot see truth through a broken filter.
You are VALUABLE. Knowing this you can look around you and look at your circumstances and the people that surround you. Are these speaking value to you? Do these make you feel devalued? If the answer is devalued then it’s time for change as God desires better for his children.
I have always felt the need to help people. I even had a tendency to jump in and rescue. Talk about an ego problem. Did you know that when you try to rescue others outside of the Holy Spirit leading you to do so it’s actually very egotistical and arrogant? It IS.
You do not do for others what they can do for themselves. This mentality sets you up to be taken advantage of by users. This mentality of having to save everyone is not trusting GOD to do his job. It’s playing GOD. When a person is drowning and you are not equipped or trained to be the lifeguard then that person can take you down with them. It’s very important to discern when to pray and when to act. Knowing your VALUE is a KEY to WISDOM.
You are VALUABLE. KNOWING you are VALUABLE is a key to wisdom. God hides our value from the wrong people and situations. This is one of the ways he gives us divine direction. The rejection of man is the protection of GOD.
Let VALUE speak to you. The people who value you are your tribe. They are your people. Where there is no value there is no direction. Value is divine direction and guidance. God is for you not against you.
When people don’t value you it’s really not about you. If people don’t know value, feel value, see value then they are unable to value you. People cannot give what they do not have so pray for them.
In becoming more aware of value within myself and understanding value I am trying to make a habit of sowing value. I am trying to grow and be so filled with God that everywhere I go I am a blessing. I want to leave each place better then I found it and love in a way that brings more value. This is a pretty big assignment. I can do this only through GOD but it’s my heart desire.
SOMETIMES KNOWING VALUE MEANS KNOWING WHEN TO WALK AWAY!
This is tough and requires so much Faith. It’s especially hard when you have sowed so much love, prayer, faith, forgiveness and the investment of your whole self for years.
Sometimes all your hopes and dreams are attached to this person or situation but you have to WALK AWAY. You walk away because of VALUE. You walk away because being true to your heart, your core beliefs, and the essence of who you are requires this act of faith.
Walking away is hard yet it honors your creator. Your reward is the peace you gain in these situations. Peace is WORTH IT! When you are called to walk away Sometimes God gives it back to you and other times he will lead you to better.
You are VALUABLE and HE can be TRUSTED. TRUST the ALMIGHTY. He has your best in store! He gave everything so you could have everything! YOU ARE VALUABLE.
