I was talking to my mother a few days ago and she mentioned
that she was particularly moved by her Upper
Room devotional this morning. The scripture included was Psalm 139:14,
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
At the thought of this, she said she literally began to sob. I told
her that too often we judge ourselves for what we are or are not or what we
should or should not be. She concurred, saying that before reading this
scripture in her morning devotion she had just stepped out of the shower looked
into the mirror and lamented at the overweight image that looked back at her
(her estimation, not mine). But after she read these words she became filled
with the love of God, knowing that what ever her weight, she was “ok” because
God had created that body.
God is the master creator and as
any other artist, God is a little sensitive about God’s work. If you are an
artist or if you know one, you’re aware that the most hurtful or offensive thing
you can do to an artist is to criticize or degrade his or her work. God is the
master and we , along with all of
creation, are the masterpiece. So,
who are we to judge each other or even ourselves? When we harshly judge the creation, we offer grave offense to the Creator. Therefore, I offer this story
not to embarrass my mother or to even suggest we shouldn’t be concerned with
our health and wellness, but to call an end to the harsh criticism and burden
of perfection we often put on ourselves. Albert Einstein is quoted to
have said, “A man [or woman] should always look for what is, not what should
be.” Our job, first and foremost, is to
see what is, and not just see it, but give thanks for it!
Right now, right
where you are, stop and give thanks for what is. It may not be what you
think it should be, but thank God
it’s not what it could be. Be present
in the now of what is, and allow the
sobering power of gratitude to move you from self-loathing to self-loving, that
is loving ourselves as ourselves. We must renew and re-know ourselves.
For, when we know and love ourselves we know God in God’s majestic beauty, for
we are indeed fearfully and
wonderfully made.
Take a full-faced and wholehearted look at what is. It may
not be exactly what we had planned, but be confident it contains everything you
need to get where you’re going. So, be thankful and be quiet! Stop the negative
self-talk and the self-deprecating humor that just ain’t funny. Know that you are enough, simply enough, because……
This is not the end of your story. Your best days are not
behind you, they are ahead of you. Release all judgment regarding your life,
your body, or your current circumstance, but rather stand in the gratitude of
“now” that will actually empower you to change it. Keep your head up because
you have #bigthingscoming!
Thankful!
~Ray
NOTE: If you’re new to the site it might be helpful to read
my first introductory post. Also, feel free to post your questions or comments
here and you can always reach out to me on Twitter @raycjordan using the hash
tag #bigthingscoming.
(Copyright,
2013, Ray Jordan)
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