Esteemed by God in Christ

(Author's name withheld for privacy)

I have never had a lot of self-esteem, and I still don't have much. It may not seem like it on the outside, but it's true. My lack of self-esteem has caused me to put up barrier after barrier, and I'm not quick to take them down.

Growing up, there were many things that contributed to this. I was bullied, I didn't have a lot of friends, I was not skinny like I was supposed to be, I was a "nerd," and so on.  Most of the kids in my grade school made me feel like I wasn't worth anything until they needed my help for something.

High school was better, but I still wasn't skinny, I still was a "nerd," I was the teachers' pet, etc. Things actually were better, but in my mind, they weren't. It was during high school that I started to become involved in several activities. It was my way to feel important.  I made sure that I gave more than my best, even if it made me stressed, unhappy, and even depressed. I had turned into a perfectionist with little to no self-esteem.

I have now had two years of college under my belt, and I'm happy to say that in some ways, things have gotten better. However, I'm still a perfectionist.  I strive to give my best no matter what, but more often that not I find myself falling short. It is because of this that my self-esteem goes up and down.  I still lack confidence in my own abilities, and I set very high standards for myself that are oftentimes far beyond my reach. I still bury myself in activities that I love and enjoy, because I want to feel like I belong or that I can succeed. I struggle with the fact that I don't like parts of myself--such as how I look or how I act.  Yet  I know that God made me unique in my own way, and that he loves me for who I am. I struggle with feeling like I don't fit in or belong. I struggle with wanting to be something or someone I'm not.

While this seems like it's all bad, it's not. Being very involved gives me something to work hard at and enjoy. It's good that I strive to give my best in everything I do.  Being the way I am gives me the opportunity to look at things differently and understand others going through the same thing. I find myself constantly encouraging others, because I know what the opposite feels like. 

Things have been getting better, but I know I have quite a way to go yet. I know that I can never be perfect, and there are so many passages that I find comfort in--ones that show me that I'm important, that I'm worth something, that I am God's child.  (A few such verses are shown at the bottom of this blog post.)

It truly is such a blessing to know that because of Christ's death and resurrection, I don't need to be perfect. I am saved no matter what; it doesn't depend on what I look like or how I act. I am perfect in God's eyes, and that's what matters.

Comfort in the Scriptures:

• So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced (Isaiah 41:10-11).
• Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go (Joshua 1:9).
• God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth" (Psalm 46:1,10).
• Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30).
• And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. ... In all things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:28, 37-39).
  

Real News

by Taylor Weber

Image from Snopes.com -- see article debunking the story.

On June 20, 2016, a Canadian tourist and fisherman made an astounding catch, pulling a 3,000-pound great white shark out of Lake Michigan.  At his interview with World News Daily Report, he shared, “We reeled in the beast for a good 4 to 5 hours before we finally shot it and wounded it to the head.”

Perhaps you know ... but great white sharks live in salt water; Lake Michigan is composed of fresh water. What a crazy story!

That story also never actually happened. It was fabricated by Internet trolls who wished to stir up controversy--and that they did!  Our world is full or rumors, untrue stories, and people who wish to lead others astray.

In matters of religion, much controversy and “fake news” has circulated about the role of good works.  Some Christians argue that good works must be done in order for heaven to be received. What’s wrong with that? It’s a hoax just as much as the story about the fisherman catching the massive shark.  Relying on our own works puts our eternal destination on our shoulders--something sinful Christians should tremble thinking about! Instead, Jesus Christ alone is the object of saving faith. Without Jesus, we are damned. With him, we are saved! God the Father sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to serve as our substitute through his death and resurrection. God the Holy Spirit enables people to believe this as true. Only through Jesus and what he has done for us can we be confident about our eternal home. The word of God’s Spirit tells us, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

We praise God that our eternal destination is not contingent on our own works and thank him for working faith in us.  Now, we live for him!

This is the true story we have received from God, by faith.

The Lens of Faith

by Maggie Frey

I don’t have perfect vision. Reading anything up close is fine, but if I want to see something far away or read a projector screen, my eyesight just doesn’t cut it. I need something to help me focus in on what it is I want to see. Like most people that need vision help, that aid comes in the form of glasses. The glasses allow me to see things from further distances with more ease. I don’t have to squint to read a line of text or try and figure out who the blurry figure across the room is; I already know.

The same thing happens in our spiritual lives. From birth, sin has clouded up our vision. We stumble through life, unsure of our steps, blindly feeling our way around, hoping that we catch onto something that might save us. Some people might say that they’re “fine”, that they don’t need any help and are okay with stumbling around unsteadily, tripping onto any and every obstacle in their path. 

Thankfully, there is a solution to this blinding problem. God provided us with the best kind of “lenses,” free of charge, and they show us the only way that can save us from the obstacles in our path: Jesus. Through the lenses of faith, we are able to focus on Jesus, who shows us the way to heaven by his death and resurrection.

We no longer have to stumble our way through life, unable to see the obstacles in our path. Through faith, Jesus makes it clear that he is the way to salvation. We still may stumble or fall, with sin moving in to cloud our vision again. But through devotions, church, and other ways that connect us to God's Word, we get a stronger prescription, still making clearer what the way to salvation is. We are able to encourage others along with the writer of Hebrews when he writes, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith" (Heb. 12:2).

Jesus will always be the focus through our lens of faith. We never have to doubt that he will leave or that the path of life will change. Even through our stumbles, Jesus is the one thing that will never change.