Created with a Purpose

Well, it looks like my consistancy for blogging has averaged out to about once a month. I will be honest with you all. I really have no idea what to write today, but feel God is prompting me to post something. Maybe what He wants me to do is just exactly what I said SHINE is all about. It is about being real.

If you don't know me... I am FAR from perfect. I have a messy house, am overweight, tend to be a procrastinator, STAY tired, get stressed way too easily, overanalyze EVERYTHING... I could go on and on. But what God has been showing me lately is that it isn't all those things that define me. We are our own worst critic. Many of us will complain about our mothers or husbands, our bosses or coworkers... we complain about everyone who has criticism about us. Yet.... we put ourselves down more than ANY of those people.

God has been showing me lately that it is MY attitude that makes a difference in my day. It is MY perspective about myself that makes me proud or makes me depressed. And most importantly... it is GOD who defines who I am. He is the one in whom I find my value. He is the one who defines me. He is the one that decides whether I am worthless or not... and guess what?!?! NONE OF US are worthless in His eyes.

I think sometimes we forget to grasp onto the reality of God's love and purpose for us. He NEVER inteneded for us to sit and put ourselves down. YES... He wants us to always strive to be better, but He NEVER intended for us to drag ourselves down. God is not s God of shame. He convicts us, yes. But we can never accomplish our true purpose while living in shame.

Think of it this way. Would God want us to be ashamed of something HE created? Do you think when He looked at the earth He created and said it was good that He had any intention of us putting it down? Would you stand there before God as He created you and said, "Yeah God I know you made this beautiful creation, but that little pudge that haunts me in the mirror every morning.. well God, you could have done better." God did HIS BEST when He created you.

If we could just get our minds around the fact that each and every one of us were created for our own SPECIFIC GOD GIVEN PURPOSE. If we were not EXACTLY the way we are, it could never be fulfilled. I am not saying don't strive to be better. But start embracing ever aspect of who you are and who God made you to be. I guarantee you that once you start taking the attitude of being a beautiful creation of God, you will start to see the true beauty He wants you to see within yourself.

Be who God wants you to be today and be PROUD of the creation He made in YOU!