“What do you think God thinks about you?”
She throws the question out on facebook, never realizing I would think long and hard on the question. The answer comes quickly, thank you Beth Moore and Believing God …
“In Christ, I am loved and …. Blessed, Chosen, Adopted, Accepted, Redeemed, and Forgiven.”
We struggle with our identity more than we realize. The doubts come, whispering softly, a gentle nagging which says, “You are not enough.” Sometimes it sounds so real and true, we buy it hook, line, and sinker. Other times, we fight back as we remember:
“The Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.”
(1 John 4:4, NLT)
We have a greatness living on the inside of us that is not our own. We must remember this every single day in order to live in the truth of what God thinks about us.
Let’s quickly visit Hagar as she struggles in her situation. Here she is the servant to Sarah, Abraham’s wife. She obeys what is ordered to her, going to sleep with Abraham to provide offspring since Sarah has been unable to conceive. Things do not turn out quite the way everyone had hoped and Hagar runs away. It is in the wilderness, Hagar discovers something very interesting ….
God speaks to her. He assures her to return. Hagar says, “You are the God who sees me.” (Genesis 16:13, NLT) An encouraging observation to be sure. But it is what she says next which is most critical … “Have I truly seen the One who sees me?”
A mutual “seeing” occurs here –
When Hagar realizes God sees her, she sees God.
As we realize He sees us, we see Him in greater measure. It is then, we come to know we are loved and seen by God. It is when we remember He has His eye on us every moment of every day, we live in the assurance of our worth to Him.
When Hagar sees God, she sees her worth.
We are greater than we could ever comprehend because of the One living in us. We are enough because He is enough.
May I ask, “What do you think God thinks about you?” If you are in need of a little help remembering, here is reminder which has been on repeat for a bit. Blessings!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXI0B4iMLuU&w=560&h=315]
Today I am joining … Thought Provoking Thursday and Everyday Jesus .
Thank you for these words. You have articulated what I’ve just recently experienced. God Bless!
Grateful it resonated with you. Blessings!
Thank you for these words.
I love that song by MercyMe (actually the whole album–their lyrics always speak to me).
Sometimes I think of God thinking better of me than I do of myself. I need to straighten that out and believe what he says is true because of who HE is, not who I think I am. Thanks for the encouragement to get it right today, Joanne.
Lisa, you are so right – God absolutely thinks better of us all than we do of ourselves. And I do think it is a daily battle on this one. May we remember He is greater in us & makes us more than enough every. single. day. And I love Mercy Me too 🙂
“…a greatness living inside…” a powerful phrase and Truth of the One Who created us. Thank you for encouraging me this afternoon.
Visiting from Sharita’s.
Caring through Christ, ~ linda
Linda, perhaps us women who have had children need to remember the preciousness of pregnancy. As we rubbed our bellies & remembered what was inside of us. We need to remember the greatness which resides in us & live each day in that awareness. Thank you for making me think further today. Blessings!
I always love that story about that moment when Hagar SEES the God who sees her.
I think God sees me as a women who is on His mission– one who fails on occasion, but does have desire in her heart to be like Jesus in every situation. A women who seeks, loves, (is learning to) rest, encourage and receive His love.
Thanks for making me think about this, Joanne. It was needed today.
Sharita, I am so glad you see God as seeing you as woman on His mission. And I am grateful you give us all opportunity to go with you & be a part of your community. You are a blessing!