I Accept Me
So God accepts you, but do you accept you?
In my previous blog (I AM), I wrapped up talking about being accepted. I want to continue with this because I thought it was essential to point out that in addition to believing God accepted us as we are, we must also accept ourselves. We must love ourselves and believe in ourselves too. We have all heard, we are our own worst critic. How true is that for you? Why are we so hard on ourselves, and why do we struggle with accepting how God made us. God created us to please him, not each other. We have unique qualities that He wants to use for His glory.
I recently learned of a relatively easy practice of confronting lies we believe about ourselves. It is- you have to stop and think, how true is this? What makes this statement true or false about me? And if there is some truth to what I believe, what am I gonna do about this? I say relatively easy, because yes, easier said than done, right! But the first step to any change is admitting or recognizing that change needs to happen. Okay, admitting, I can do that. It’s doesn’t take much to acknowledge I need an attitude adjustment, or maybe I need to look at things from a different perspective. Perhaps you have to start thinking of yourself more positively, you fill in the blanket. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you.
The next step is what will ask a little more of you- what are you going to do about it? And this part is all you, with the help of God. Nobody can force change on you. We can want to change all we want, but we will get nowhere without any action steps. Personally, one of my most significant action steps was to surrender; surrender my worries, wounds, wrongs, weaknesses, and wishes. It has been a daily decision I make, some days easier than others. We honor God by accepting who He created us to be.
You may realize you have believed a lie. Don't contemplate those ideas and deceptions of the enemy! You must grasp this is how the enemy controls you. He makes you think that you are not good enough, or that no one loves you, or will never be free from your past experiences. And you know what those lies are because that's what you tell yourself, and it keeps you in a terrible cycle of worthless thoughts about yourself. If you want to live a free life, you have to begin believing that you have many beautiful qualities and abilities. You have to believe that God loves you and wonderfully made you. Your identity is in Christ and not the things you have been through. What you do with your experiences is what makes a significant difference. You can use those to help others, or you can hide them away. But believe me, there is more opportunity to be used by God if you use these experiences. Because you become relatable and you are helping someone walk through something you have already been through, and God gets the glory! Some of the genuinely impactful people in my life are not afraid to be real; they make you feel like you are not alone. So don't be scared to be vulnerable.
If you have to print scripture and post it all around your house, then do it. Do whatever you need to do to remind yourself of what He says in his word. My mom used to do this when I was growing up; she would get a notebook paper and write scripture on it and post it around the house. Perhaps you need a new playlist that speaks life and declares God’s goodness and love over you. Or maybe you need to explore nature and see God’s creation that is all around us. Do whatever you need to edify your mind, spirit, and soul. Take those steps of faith, believing that God will bring help you embrace who He made you to be.