Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than
many sparrows. Matthew 10:31
It is easy to measure our value based on how happy we make
those around us, especially if you are a people pleaser. For some, it is incredibly hard to tell
people no if we think they are going
to be let down or disappointed in us, and even more so if it is someone we
really care about. People pleasers will be
blinded by the disapproval of others, to the point of having no boundaries or
self-esteem. This is a dangerous way to
live because when we live like this, we belong to everyone else, not to
ourselves, and certainly not to God. We
can easily find ourselves far from God and far from our true selves in order to
find belonging and value. When we start
living our lives making ourselves fit into another person’s definition of who
we are, we will become something we aren’t meant to be. We will fit their identity for us, but it probably
won’t fit God’s identity for us, the only true source of our value.
God created us. His
value on our lives has to be the only value that counts. That is something that each of us needs to know
and settle in our hearts and then trust that knowledge. We can’t trust the feeling, because feelings
come and go. Sometimes it may not feel
good, like when we say no to someone and they are unhappy with us. That is when the knowledge of our worth in
Him wins. We can’t question it, or ask
others to understand it. Don’t live
another day in the shadow of everyone else’s approval. God’s mark on our hearts is the only one that
counts. His purpose for our lives takes
precedence over other people’s opinions of how we live, and in the end, His
judgement will be far more important than everyone else’s opinions.
Scripture to
Claim:
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the
Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11
