A friend shared a devotional with me today about women and their feelings of worth. The devotion sparked the following thoughts.
To all you women out there--"all my single ladies" or whomever :)-- this post is for you:
What are you worth? Who or what has told you what you are worth in today's society?
Really reach into your soul and your heart into the darkest places- the deepest pain.
How much do you really feel you are worth? What lies have you believed about yourself? What have you been told in the past? Was it a man? A relationship? Your parents? A teacher? A friend? A boss? someone who told you that weren't good enough-- or worse showed you?
Our society is filled with images, statements, etc telling us as women what we are "worth."
We are worth ___ if we ___, but if we don't we are less that (insert name). Are you thin enough? Smart enough? Fit enough? Tall enough? short enough? pretty enough? feminine enough? strong enough? talented enough? educated enough? motherly enough? independent enough? meek enough? successful enough? even "holy" enough?
I don't know about you but EVERY question above pains me-- stings so deeply.-- causes feelings of hopelessness. I am not "enough" of any of those. I never will be. Ouch. The little girl inside of me is brought to tears. I will never be perfect.
All my life, I have struggled with perfectionism-- a desire to be "good enough" for what I thought was best-- to live up to society's standards- my parents' standards- my teachers standards-- my friends standards- my standards-- even God's standards. Trying to meet all those different ideas of perfection is down right exhausting. Amen?
Much of what those feelings of a lack of self-worth/perfectionism are related to the spiritual root of
Legalism- the idea that we are under law; that we must please God. That it is by works that we receive salvation and God's love and faith. and a lack of feeling loved. (at least for me-- there are many other roots and each women has a separate scare/pain that these insecurities stem from, but today I want to touch on legalism). The idea that we can earn God's favor, that we can be "self righteous"- even suffer selfishly. Ultimately it leads to us trying to please God all the while thinking we can be righteous without Him or from something within ourselves. As if good comes from us not from Him. Ultimately we are trying to get His glory.
According to Moore, legalism keeps us from enjoying God and His attributes-- His mercy, His unfailing Grace, His everlasting love. All things I believe the Lord wants us to enjoy-- things that He has so graciously Blessed us with. And Satan tries to keep us from delighting in those wonderful gifts. So how can we overcome this? I'm not completely sure myself- I am still working on it-- but Scripture tells us time and time again that we "justified by faith" NOT works.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God." Ephesians 2:8
We cannot earn God's favor:
6 vWe have all become like one who is unclean,
and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.(Isaiah 64)
BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE IT!!!
"For while the Law was given through Moses, grace (unearned, undeserved favor and spiritual blessing) and truth came through Jesus Christ." John 1: 17
We are made right through HIM, by Him & only with HIM. He has taken the wrath. He took our place.
Now as far as our "worth"...
How much are you really worth?
Scripture has the answers:
You are worth God's ONLY Son. His pain, His suffering, His life. His perfect, flawless less. We are sooo undeserving but to God we are worth so much. It is not because of who we are, but because of His enduring love for us. You have heard John 3:16 before, but I beg you-- really internalize it:
"For God so loved the world,that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."
It is not because of anything we will or will not do. It's all Him. So relax (I'm telling myself this)-- you are "good enough".. perfection is found in Christ alone. Nothing you can ever do will make Him love you life. The ultimate Sacrifice. He loves you the same always-- enough to die for you and He not only wants you to live, but to live joyfully and delight in the blessings that He has GIVEN you. Don't let Satan (or anyone) tell you otherwise. You are worth the ultimate price-- His Life.
Oh how He loves you! (I need to work on this too) But women/sisters, lets not let men, the media, our parents, our friends, our teachers, society, even those who have the best intentions or even ourselves determine our worth-- leave that to the Creator of the Universe, because He already has!
Israel’s Only Savior(Isaiah 43)
43 But now thus says the Lord,
mhe who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
n“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
oI have called you by name, you are mine.
2 pWhen you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
and the flame shall not consume you.
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
sI give Egypt as your ransom,
Cush and tSeba in exchange for you.
4
and honored, and I love you,
I give men in return for you,
peoples in exchange for your life.
5 uFear not, for I am with you;
vI will bring your offspring from the east,
and from the west I will gather you.
6 I will say to the north, Give up,
and to the south, Do not withhold;
bring wmy sons from afar
and wmy daughters from the end of the earth,
7 everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”
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