Our
basic human needs are to feel loved, accepted, worthwhile and meaningful. If
these areas are not fulfilled for us, we suffer in a pit of negative emotions.
Satan
uses these inadequacies to tempt us to sin. These legitimate needs, in the
devil's hands, cause us to marry the wrong person, work in an unfulfilling
career, add more busyness to our schedule, etc. all in an attempt to validate
these areas of our soul.
Our
attempt at a solution only makes our life more hectic and unfulfilled, however;
until we come to realize that our sense of self-worth is not based on what we
do or who we are.
Our
relationship with Jesus Christ is the only valid means of having our soul's needs
met. When we call out to Him, He answers us and strengthens us with His holy
boldness (Psalm 138:3).
He
may use people to bring us this needed validation, He may supernaturally supply
our needs, or He may even teach us to validate our own soul.
God
directs us, each moment of our day, to use our spiritual gifts and to exhibit
His fruitful nature (Galatians 5:22-23). Then, we find supernatural fulfillment
by edifying others.
Sadly,
people often go to the grave having never used their gifts by the Holy Spirit's
direction. Satan's lies convinced them that they were not good enough, smart
enough, spiritual enough, young enough, mature enough, old enough or
enlightened enough to be used by God.
As
we find our true identity in Christ, we learn to accept our self just as we
are; knowing that in the sanctifying process God's Spirit is transforming us
with the mind of Jesus and conforming us into His image ( 2 Corinthians 3:18).
He fills us with God's divine character - the fruit of His Spirit (Galatians
5:22-23).
Prayer:
Father
God, show us the reality of who we are in You. Our Christian walk is Your
masterpiece. Christianity is not what we do, it is who we are in our very core
nature - something that cannot be embraced or discarded with any change of mood
or human decision (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:10; 1 John 3:1-2; 1 Peter
2:8-10).
Help
us to visualize our self as children of the King, servants of the Most High and
eternal God, and stewards of all that You give to us. We want to walk in Your
freedom in Christ, as well as in powerful victory over our flesh, the devil and the
world. We give You all of the praise and glory that is due to Your name.
Thought for the Day:
We can realize our potential in Christ by
walking in the Spirit and loving God by obeying His precepts all the days of
our life; then we love one another in the same manner that we love our self. - Mark
12:30-31
