"I'm not worth anything." Those were the words an amazing young woman believed...until about a year ago. I listened as she shared the heartbreaking words that had been spoken and actions that had been taken to hurt her throughout her life. I watched her tears stream down her face as she remembered those hard times, but then saw her demeanor change to one full of hope as she told the other women in the room how she prays scripture over her daughter each night, in hopes that she will know her worth as she now does...in the Lord.
My heart felt like it might burst because I was so thankful for what the Lord is doing in my friend's life, but even more thankful for the way He is using her pain for His glory as she shares hope with others...even while still in the midst of her own trials. But my heart also hurt...because I know that there are those who still don't know...really know...the truth in their own hearts yet.
And tonight, maybe that someone is you...or someone close to you. So here are a few things to remember to counter the lie that "I'm not worth anything."
1. Broken words come from broken people with a distorted view of life. Truth comes from the Lord.
When others use hurtful words they are usually coming from a place of hurt themselves. It is just natural for them to speak and act from the point of view they grew up in and have known. But when we come to know Jesus, our point of view changes. We can see people the way He sees them.
To demonstrate this point, we had a broken mirror and a regular mirror. Each lady looked at herself in each. When I saw my face in the broken mirror, it was uneven, eyes out of place, and didn't fit together. When I looked in the regular mirror, I could see clearly and every part was in place.
The broken mirror represents what others in the world might say about me. She is a hot mess. She doesn't have it together. She'll never amount to anything. The fully intact mirror is how the Lord sees me. No cracks, no missing pieces, and no shattered glass...just a clear reflection of the woman He made, wrinkles and scars and all.
1 Peter 2:4 tells us that Jesus was "rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to Him." And you, my sweet friends, may be rejected by humans, but you are absolutely chosen by God...and so very precious to Him also. Don't allow the negative words of a few to define your worth. Allow the words of the Lord to echo over and over in your mind. And even though you may feel cheesy, when those lies and hurts from the past come up, pick up that clear mirror, look at yourself and say, "I am chosen by God and precious to Him." And mean it.
2. Negative words can weigh us down, but the Word of the Lord is our strength.
One negative word can feel like it weighs a ton. And so many times we try to balance it out by seeking compliments and affirmation from other people. We do things to be noticed, seeking attention and acclaim for our good looks or deeds. But this will be exhausting and ultimately, will not fill the need we are seeking. Here's why.
For a visual, we used a make-shift balance. One negative remark, the large stone, was placed on one end. On the other end many positive comments, or cotton balls, were placed. What we found was that it would take hundreds, if not thousands, of cotton balls to balance out that one rock. And y'all, that's how it is with our words. One negative comment carries so much weight that it takes many, many, many compliments and affirmations from others to try to make up for it...and it still doesn't do the job.
The Lord is the only one who can lift us up and remind us Whose we are. We have to seek Him and His approval before all else. What He says about us is the only thing that matters, and when we choose to please Him instead of people, we are able to find new joy and peace and hope.
3. Go to the "Faith Book" before "Facebook." (from a bible teacher of mine:))
In order to remember that we are loved and worthy of an abundant life in Christ, we have to make His word a priority. Every morning, before you go to check social media or email, etc. go to the Word. Even if it is one scripture, read it first. Here is a list of scriptures to write and post around the house. By the sink, in the laundry room, even by the toilet...wherever you will be able to meditate on His word vs. those of the world.
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Rom. 8:1
“being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;” Phil 1:6
"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them." Psalm 139: 13-16
"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—" Ephesians 2:4
"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12:9
It is by grace we have been saved y'all, not of ourselves, so that we can't boast. It is absolutely a gift of God. (Eph.2:8-9) But we have to choose to accept that gift and get to know the Giver. When we know Him, we hear His voice, and it will drown out the others if we call on Him.
So, when you are battling the lies of this world. When you are trying to block out the voices of your past. Listen to the only voice that matters, and remember this sweet friend:
You are worth more than you can ever imagine. You are loved. You are wanted. You are valuable. You are known. And you are precious to the One who made you perfectly for His purposes.
Say it out loud. Believe it. And share what the Lord is doing in your heart with someone else...
*This lesson was based on Lie 7 from the book "Lies Women Believe and the Truth that Sets Them Free" by Nancy Leigh Demoss.
My heart felt like it might burst because I was so thankful for what the Lord is doing in my friend's life, but even more thankful for the way He is using her pain for His glory as she shares hope with others...even while still in the midst of her own trials. But my heart also hurt...because I know that there are those who still don't know...really know...the truth in their own hearts yet.
And tonight, maybe that someone is you...or someone close to you. So here are a few things to remember to counter the lie that "I'm not worth anything."
When others use hurtful words they are usually coming from a place of hurt themselves. It is just natural for them to speak and act from the point of view they grew up in and have known. But when we come to know Jesus, our point of view changes. We can see people the way He sees them.
To demonstrate this point, we had a broken mirror and a regular mirror. Each lady looked at herself in each. When I saw my face in the broken mirror, it was uneven, eyes out of place, and didn't fit together. When I looked in the regular mirror, I could see clearly and every part was in place.
The broken mirror represents what others in the world might say about me. She is a hot mess. She doesn't have it together. She'll never amount to anything. The fully intact mirror is how the Lord sees me. No cracks, no missing pieces, and no shattered glass...just a clear reflection of the woman He made, wrinkles and scars and all.
1 Peter 2:4 tells us that Jesus was "rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to Him." And you, my sweet friends, may be rejected by humans, but you are absolutely chosen by God...and so very precious to Him also. Don't allow the negative words of a few to define your worth. Allow the words of the Lord to echo over and over in your mind. And even though you may feel cheesy, when those lies and hurts from the past come up, pick up that clear mirror, look at yourself and say, "I am chosen by God and precious to Him." And mean it.
One negative word can feel like it weighs a ton. And so many times we try to balance it out by seeking compliments and affirmation from other people. We do things to be noticed, seeking attention and acclaim for our good looks or deeds. But this will be exhausting and ultimately, will not fill the need we are seeking. Here's why.
For a visual, we used a make-shift balance. One negative remark, the large stone, was placed on one end. On the other end many positive comments, or cotton balls, were placed. What we found was that it would take hundreds, if not thousands, of cotton balls to balance out that one rock. And y'all, that's how it is with our words. One negative comment carries so much weight that it takes many, many, many compliments and affirmations from others to try to make up for it...and it still doesn't do the job.
The Lord is the only one who can lift us up and remind us Whose we are. We have to seek Him and His approval before all else. What He says about us is the only thing that matters, and when we choose to please Him instead of people, we are able to find new joy and peace and hope.
3. Go to the "Faith Book" before "Facebook." (from a bible teacher of mine:))
In order to remember that we are loved and worthy of an abundant life in Christ, we have to make His word a priority. Every morning, before you go to check social media or email, etc. go to the Word. Even if it is one scripture, read it first. Here is a list of scriptures to write and post around the house. By the sink, in the laundry room, even by the toilet...wherever you will be able to meditate on His word vs. those of the world.
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Rom. 8:1
“being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;” Phil 1:6
"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them." Psalm 139: 13-16
"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—" Ephesians 2:4
"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 2 Corinthians 12:9
It is by grace we have been saved y'all, not of ourselves, so that we can't boast. It is absolutely a gift of God. (Eph.2:8-9) But we have to choose to accept that gift and get to know the Giver. When we know Him, we hear His voice, and it will drown out the others if we call on Him.
"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." John 10:27
So, when you are battling the lies of this world. When you are trying to block out the voices of your past. Listen to the only voice that matters, and remember this sweet friend:
You are worth more than you can ever imagine. You are loved. You are wanted. You are valuable. You are known. And you are precious to the One who made you perfectly for His purposes.
Say it out loud. Believe it. And share what the Lord is doing in your heart with someone else...
*This lesson was based on Lie 7 from the book "Lies Women Believe and the Truth that Sets Them Free" by Nancy Leigh Demoss.
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