4 Things to Remember When the World Says You are Less Than
The world loves to tell us we are incomplete. We are broken. We are less than. Everyone else has it together but us.
And if we purchase the latest and greatest item advertised, the red carpet will roll out and magically usher us into the “in crowd” where the rest of the world resides. Or so they lead us to believe…
Maybe I speak for myself, but one well-placed ad can take me from confident one moment to gasping how could I have worn this hideous thing in public the next.
The truth is God made us for living with Him in the perfection of Eden. Nothing on this earth will ever satisfy. We will never feel as if we have arrived as long as our feet are on terra firma. Period. We were made for so much more.
Here are four things to remember when the world has you down:
You are loved
Cliché? Yes, but soooo true! God who made everything out of nothing loves you and loves me. He doesn’t have to. He chooses to. I know there are plenty of reasons not to love me. But God still loves and accepts His children just as we are. Right now, right here.
We don’t have to get “cleaned up” to come to Him. No, He doesn’t love our sin, but as divinely created beings, He loves us to our very core. No matter what anyone has ever said about us or done to us.
He loves us more than we love our own children. More than we could ever fathom!
You were made perfect
You and I are perfect - in God’s eyes that is. Psalm 139 says God made us “fearfully and wonderfully” and we are a “wonderful work” (vs.14). God also calls us a “masterpiece” in the original language of Ephesians 2:10.
Do we really need to hear more? It makes me think of the feeling I get when I see something absolutely stunning in God’s creation.
We may not feel perfect with our aches and pains and wish for a different nose, etc., but we are perfect creations of a perfect and amazing God.
You are complete in Christ
Colossians 2:10 tells us we are complete through our union with Christ. Once we accept the gift of salvation through Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are made complete.
The God-sized hole common to all humans is filled and remains filled as long as we regularly indulge in Jesus and His Word.
The world lies when it says there is something wrong with us. It is a lie straight from the enemy of our souls.
He would like nothing more than for us not to know and believe our true worth, value, and beauty as God’s chosen ones (Ephesians 1:4).
Plus, we bring nothing to the table in this relationship. We are completely dependent on Him for everything – even the faith to believe in Him. And He generously provides all we need (Philippians 4:19)!
You are delighted in
Has anything ever brought you delight? A special gift you didn’t know anyone knew you wanted, a hug from a long seen loved one, or a good meal when you were really hungry?
God delights in us all the time. He, the Son and Spirit are bragging on us in the heavenlies like parents doting on their kids at a soccer game (Ephesians 1:3). Can you imagine them trying to outdo one another while complimenting us? Of course, they don’t do that. They always show the utmost sportsman like behavior (don’t they? LOL).
One of the most famous “delighting” Scriptures is Zephaniah 3:17. This Scripture practically shouts God’s delight in us when we chose Him. Like a lover longing for his beloved, God joyfully celebrates our reciprocal love.
Photo by Robert Collins on Unsplash
Why would we doubt…
With these truths at hand why would we ever let the world get us down? Because we are human and the psychology of advertising works. That’s why it is a multibillion-dollar industry.
The trick for us?
Know we are targeted and be prepared for battle daily - and sometimes moment by moment. We are going to have to fight the world and the evil one to keep our right standing with the Lord in the forefront of our minds.
We do that by ingesting the Truth of God’s Word regularly through mediation, prayer and speaking it which has the power to transform our minds and keep the negative thoughts at bay (Romans 12:2).
Then when that ad arrow hits us where it hurts, we can stand strong and tall knowing we are made complete in our King Jesus.
What helps you when the world tempts you to feel less than?
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