I have spent the last several years working on myself. Working on who I really am. Working on what my purpose is in this life. Working on my gifts. Working on my health. Working on self-love. Working on relationships. Working on my faith. Working on loving as Christ loved. Working on gratitude. Working....working...working!
I have found this verse in Ephesians 2:10 so helpful when I'm feeling a little low on self-love. It says "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Workmanship - or Work of art, Masterpiece.
So when I'm having days when I don't feel like I'm enough I say this verse over and over - like a little mantra from God himself- until I start to feel it. We all have those days, right?? We have those days when we don't feel like we're enough...but God tells us differently. God says "I made you". I think of you like a piece of Art, like my masterpiece. I created every detail, every quirk and you are a masterpiece. And if you tell yourself this enough, you will start to believe it. Sometimes, we just need a reminder that God created us as a masterpiece. As with all great art, we have some work to do to become a masterpiece. We have to continue to grow. Continue to listen to his guidance. We'll need to continue to work on ourselves, and we have to find and live a purposeful life as God intended. He gave us all the abilities we need to be exactly who we are meant to be. We just have to follow.
The second part of the verse I love just as much. "Created in Christ Jesus, to do good works, which God prepared for us in advance for us to do." When we were created God programmed us all with gifts to do good works. We don't always have to make huge changes to give our gifts (unless we're called to do so). We can find ways to fulfill our gift right here ,where we are. Sometimes it takes some searching to figure out what our gifts are. It's no secret to anyone who knows me I'm quite an introvert. When I was doing some soul searching these past few years and looking for my gifts, I remember several management positions I held where my bosses would say something like "you're not the face of the corporation, you're the brains behind the operation." Some may have taken that as an insult, I did not, it was true. I was never going to be a front and center, outgoing representative; but I could problem solve and find solutions with the best of them. I say that to say, when I was searching for what talents and gifts God may have given me it was obvious it would not be reaching people in large groups or speaking arrangements. However, I felt that my gift was to reach out to others who had been absolutely broken by this world and share God with them. I could share in small, quiet ways. Share the gift of gratitude, faith, love, time and understanding. So became "Season of Faith" .
As we start this week off, lets encourage each other to grow into beautiful masterpieces. Lets give our gifts however we can so the world can heal through Christ. May you have a blessed week.