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Allison Flexer

My Identity: What does God say about me?: Beautiful

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In 2 Corinthians 5:17 the Bible reads that we are “new creations” if we are followers of Christ. Have you ever wondered about the way God feels about you? We can be very hard on ourselves at times. We often struggle with our identity. This week, we’ll turn to God’s Word to find out how He views us and how we can find our identity in Him.

 

Beautiful

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Psalm 139:14, NIV

4_Beauty_Quote_THURSDAYDo you struggle with self-image? I think it’s a common struggle for many of us. When I meet women through my ministry for single women, this is something we often talk about. It’s also something I personally battle. I struggle with comparing myself to others and then mentally listing my faults as I see them.

In my book, Truth, Lies, and the Single Woman, I wrote about the standard of beauty. For the guys out there, you can substitute “attractive” for beautiful. It’s so easy to let external forces determine our self-image. If someone tells me I’m pretty, I suddenly feel beautiful. If someone mentions that I look tired, I feel like an ugly duckling. During my single years, if a guy paid attention to me, I felt beautiful. For years, I allowed my standard of beauty to be determined by others.

It’s important to remember that God is the One who sets our standard of beauty. In today’s verse, we learn that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” God created you exactly the way you are for a specific purpose. He wove you together. You are his masterpiece. He ordained all of your days before the earth was ever formed. God also knew the parts of yourself that would cause you sadness and struggle.

In Truth, Lies, and the Single Woman, I challenged my readers to try something each morning. For one week, when you wake up each morning, I want you to look in the mirror and say, “God created me in His image. He designed me exactly right because He does not make mistakes. I am beautiful.”

Of course, we’re not only talking about outward beauty. The Bible indicates that our beauty should come from another source. “You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God” (1 Peter 3:4, NLT).

Today, remember that you are created in the image of God. Let’s honor our Creator by loving the person He created and cultivating the inner beauty of our spirits, not just our bodies.

Seeking Him,

Allison

My Identity: What does God say about me?: Known

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In 2 Corinthians 5:17 the Bible reads that we are “new creations” if we are followers of Christ. Have you ever wondered about the way God feels about you? We can be very hard on ourselves at times. We often struggle with our identity. This week, we’ll turn to God’s Word to find out how He views us and how we can find our identity in Him.

 

Known

“You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.”

Psalm 139:3-5, NIV

3_Known_WEDNESDAYDo you desire to be truly known? Timothy Keller, the author of The Meaning of Marriage, wrote, “To be known and not loved is our greatest fear.” We want to be known, but we fear the rejection that we believe may come with the exposure of being known.

Many of us work hard to project the version of ourselves that we want others to see. We want people around us to think we have it all together. It’s difficult to admit our struggles, even to those who know us best.

So it’s a relief to understand that God knows everything about us, even the darkest parts of our hearts, and He still loves and accepts us. We are known completely and loved unconditionally.

We don’t have to hide from God or fear condemnation. Romans 8:1 reads, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Throughout Scripture, we come to know a man named Jesus who encountered sinners with love and acceptance. He demonstrated compassion, not condemnation.

We can be very hard on ourselves. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking negative thoughts and constantly berating ourselves. This habit can even be the result of prior verbal abuse from someone close to you. Let’s work on stopping the condemning self-talk and learning to be gentle with ourselves. If God knows us fully and still considers us precious and worthy of love, we can give ourselves a break.

If you struggle with being kind to yourself, use this prayer in Psalm 139:

Search me, God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:23-24, NIV

Today, remember that you are fully known and completely loved. When we rest in that knowledge, our identity as a child of God becomes clear.

Seeking Him,

Allison

My Identity: What does God say about me?: Forgiven

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In 2 Corinthians 5:17 the Bible reads that we are “new creations” if we are followers of Christ. Have you ever wondered about the way God feels about you? We can be very hard on ourselves at times. We often struggle with our identity. This week, we’ll turn to God’s Word to find out how He views us and how we can find our identity in Him.

 

Forgiven

“For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.”

Psalm 103:11-12, NLT

2_Forgiven_TUESDAYDo you ever struggle with guilt and regret? When we line up our lives with God’s perfect and holy nature, our ugly sin is evident. It’s true . . . we are broken. We make mistakes. We hurt other people. We fall way short of perfection. We need a Savior.

Admitting that we are sinful and need a Savior is the first step on the path to forgiveness. By dying on the cross, Jesus paid the price for 100 percent of the sins every person has committed. He victoriously rose from the grave and conquered death for the benefit of every single person. Everything that needs to be done for your salvation has already been accomplished. All you need to do is respond to the gift He freely offers. Praise the Lord because He offers us salvation and forgiveness!

Once we accept God and become followers of Christ, His blood covers our sins. We are forgiven and our sins are erased. So, does that mean we’ll never remember those sins or experience guilt? Not in my experience. Even though I know I’m forgiven, I still struggle with believing my mistakes are too big. What if I messed up God’s plan for my life? The enemy plants lies and questions in my mind such as, “Do you really think God can forgive that sin?”

If you struggle with regret, remember that God is enough. He is bigger than our sin. Jesus conquered death so that we could live with freedom, not regret. We need to let our regrets rest with God so we can live in the present.

Remember the truth of God’s word. 1 John 1:9 (NIV) reads, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Our God is faithful, and He keeps His promises. In His eyes, we are as white as snow.

Today, remember that you are forgiven and redeemed. If you’re a believer, God has removed your sins as far as the east is from the west. If you haven’t yet accepted God’s free gift of salvation, He is standing at the door. You only need to answer.

Seeking Him,

Allison