Purity 329 01/30/2021
Good morning!
Today’s sunset photo comes from a friend in Virginia who, like many of
us, is going through a stressful season in their lives but recognizes that even
in the midst of what feels like a time where they are losing their minds, they
can find a moment of peace when they look to the heavens.
This phenomenon of looking above the things
of this world to something higher is what God gave us the heavens for. He knows
the simple truth of His presence is written on all of creation and when we let
go of our worldly troubles and look on something only He could make, we can
partake in a measure of the peace that He has for us.
This morning’s meditation
verse is:
James 5:16 (WesleyNT)
16 Confess your faults one to
another, brethren, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed: the fervent
prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
This fact
when considered in light of our new life in Christ can make us feel condemned for
failing and cause us to question if we really are a Christian. That is what the
enemy loves to do: condemn and accuse the brethren.
We have
to remember that we need Christ all the time. There was no way we could “make
it” without Him before placing our faith in Him and that remains true after we
make Him our Lord and Savior.
So we
have to stand in our faith and believe that even our latest late breaking sin
was paid for by Christ and has been forgiven.
But in order
to have peace, and to have victory over the sins that so easily beset us, God
gave us one another to confess our faults to.
We can be healed of the pains of our offenses when we admit to God and
someone else the nature of our wrongs. With
our confession, we are also to repent by not only thanking Him for His
forgiveness but also by agreeing with Him and choosing to not repeat our
transgressions in the future.
While we
can be healed of our guilt and shame by confessing and praying for one another,
“the fervent prayer of a righteous man that availeth much” isn’t meant to be “the
other guy”. The righteous man is to be
us, and we are to pray fervently to God for strength, wisdom, and guidance to abandon
our sin. Otherwise we are deluding ourselves
and avoiding personal responsibility to live the life God has for us.
We
shouldn’t be running to “the other guy” to pray for us every time we mess up
without also praying to God for ourselves.
Our relationship with God is personal and if we are looking to be prayed
for constantly by someone else to “bless us”, we are missing the entire point
of what our lives in Christ are supposed to be: an intimate continuous
encounter with the Living God.
So confess
and pray for one another, but after you do make sure you keep the prayer conversation
with God going because if you do, you may find that there will be a whole lot
less that you will have to confess to your brothers, as you will be receiving
continual guidance, strength, and wisdom to keep you in God’s ways.
Today we will continue to share from Dr. June Hunt’s Biblical Counseling
Keys on “Self-Worth: Discovering Your God-given Worth”.
As always, I share this information for educational purposes and
encourage all to purchase Dr. Hunt’s books for your own private study and to
support her work:
II. Characteristics of Low Self-Worth
In the throes of threatening circumstances, people react in one of three
ways: fight, flight, or freeze ... get even, get going, or get hurt. Those who
fight can quickly become aggressive victimizers. Because she was beaten and
abused, Dorie chose to become defiant ... to clench her fists and dominate her
peers by intimidation.
She would bully them into compliance, threatening to "get them in the
yard" if they didn't drink her buttermilk for her or let her go to the
front of the bathing line. She forced her will on them and terrorized them by
pinching or hitting them without provocation. According to her own words,
"I was mean, mean, mean!"
Because Dorie knew that no one would ever love her, she took the
offensive and gave them no reason to love her. She cried alone at night and
made others cry during the day. No one would get the best of her ... no one!
She had no one ... so she would need no one. That was her philosophy ... at
least until the day she met Jesus and opened her heart to His life-changing
love. He gave her a new heart. The Lord makes this offer to everyone ...
"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will
remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."
(Ezekiel 36:26)
A. What Does Low Self-Worth Look Like?
When Dorie went to grade school, she said, "Those of us from the
orphanage could be easily identified by our shabby clothes and distinctive
haircuts." The harsh matron, Miss Gabriel, would place a bowl on their
heads and snip off their hair with other children and parents staring. Dorie
thought, "We're all oddballs and besides, I'm ugly." It's as though
she kept looking through distorted mirrors.
Think about going to a fair and walking through "The Fun House"
with its warped mirrors. When you turn the corner, you suddenly see a distorted
image of yourself that immediately makes you laugh. Your head looks like a huge
oval egg with narrow, slanted eyes. Meanwhile, your neck has disappeared. Your
arms have become wavy tentacles and your hips the size of a blimp.
Unfortunately, people like Dorie walk around with mental images of
themselves that are as warped as these distorted mirrors. Over time, their
inner mirror has become warped by criticism, disapproval, and pain. Thank God
He does not look at us from a warped perspective, but through the eyes of
purest love. The closer we are to Him, the more we will be able to see
ourselves through God's eyes. The Bible says ...
"Now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face
to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully
known."
(1 Corinthians
13:12)
Checklist for Low Self-Worth
To determine whether you are suffering with low self-worth, note the
statements below that are true about you.
- Inner
Insecurities
- I
am self-critical and have feelings of self-loathing.
- I
am fearful of failure and avoid risk taking.
- I
am overly impacted by the opinions of others and strive to meet their
standards.
- I
am undeserving of and yet desperate for the approval of others.
- I
am unhappy with my personal appearance and personal achievements.
- I
am negligent of my appearance.
- I
am unable to set boundaries.
- I
am ashamed of my background, and I often struggle with depression.
- I am
controlled by a victim mentality.
- I
am inferior and have feelings of incompetence when compared to others.
If you struggle with insecurity, you need to take
to heart these words of encouragement from the Word of God ...
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid
... for the Lord your God goes
with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."
(Deuteronomy 31:6)
- Relational
Roadblocks
- I
am overly critical and distrustful of others.
- I
am demanding and unforgiving of others.
- I
am defensive when confronted.
- I
am argumentative and resistant to authority.
- I
am undeserving of and unable to accept compliments.
- I
am afraid to get close to people and establish intimacy.
- I
am a peace-at-all-costs people pleaser.
- I
am reluctant to express my true feelings.
- I
am hesitant to accept responsibility for my wrongs.
- I
am often afraid to defend myself.
If you struggle with establishing healthy
relationships, you need to know that ...
"Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but
whoever trusts in the Lord is kept
safe."
(Proverbs 29:25)
Biblical Counseling Keys - Biblical Counseling Keys – Biblical Counseling Keys:
Self-Worth: Discover Your God-Given Worth.
-----------------------------more
on Monday-------------------------
God bless
you all!
