Insecurities happen because our view of ourselves has been derailed by others. Yes, others not us. Think about it this way, we experience at a young age hurtful words or actions. We take those experiences and store them. Sometimes the storing is unintentional, while other times we are very intentional. We want to figure out how to prevent future hurts like these, so we replay it over and over. With each replay, we program a negative tape that starts to play in our heads.
I have a negative tape that plays constantly. As a young girl, I had glasses and curly hair (frizzy at times). Now I was not the only girl in my grade with curly hair, but the only one with the two elements. The kids in my class took to calling me a name of a character from a popular children's program at the time. I heard this name often. Enventually I stopped hearing the name and just heard the meaning, you are ugly. My own Mother seemed to reinforce it by saying "You could be so pretty." I took it that she meant I wasn't. Fast forward to sixth grade. These kids taught me a new lesson, comparison. I did not develop what other girls did (Senior in high school they gave me the nickname of Flounder). Boys pointed out that fact. The girls just omitted me from parties. I became a reject. It did not help my self image to move to another town that year. New Town, fresh start, right? Hardly. I was an outcast because I had no history with anyone.
We females are tough on each other. But also on ourselves. We look at others and see beauty or sometimes we wonder how they wore that ourfit. We judge on appearances. 1 Samuel 16:7 says "But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his statue, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart." Why can't we do that? If we could see others' hearts, what would it reveal? How would we treat others then? Just imagine if we saw others as God does. Think about it, God sees what is in our hearts. He sees the good, the bad, our compassion or lack of, and our passions.
We are, according to Romans 12:2, not to comform to this world, but to be transformed. ("Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and pefect.") Too often we try to fit in so that we avoid past hurts. But Paul says that is the wrong thought process. We should not try to fit in, we should set an example instead.
What if we, as women and Mothers, teach our children who they are in the eyes of God? What a different world we could have. But if we do not understand who we are in God's eyes, then we cannot teach anyone. So...We are:
Beloved..."I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness." Jeremiah 31:3
A Child of God..."See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1
Forgiven..."He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed." 1Peter 2:24
Free..."It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1
A Temple of The Holy Spirit..."Do not you know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?"
Adopted Into God's Family..."The Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry 'Abbab, Father.'" Romans 8:15
Co-heir With Christ..."Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ." Romans 8;17
Righteous..."For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21
A Saint..."You were washed, you were sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."
Set Apart..."You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession." 1 Peter 2:9
Never Alone..."The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:8
A Masterpiece..."For we are God's masterpeice. He created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago." Ephesians 2:10
Wonderfully Made..."I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Psalm 139:14
Whole in Christ..."In Christ you have been brought to fullness." Colossians 2:10
If you are like me, you have had damage done to you by others. Unkind words spoken, name calling, labelled incorrectly, and other abuse we carry these things with us. Until today...Change your negative tape to a positive God Tape.
You are a Prince or a Princess of the One true God. The Prince of Peace is your Bother. God chose you ("You did not choose me, but I chose you and appinted you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you as the Father in my name, He may give it to you." John 15:16)
Last thought, God chose you and gave you unique talents; then He gave you Spiritual Gifts. God gave up His Son for us. He adopted us and made us whole. This is where your identity and your hope should reside.
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