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- Apr 25, 2006
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Face your fears (2) 'if-only-itis'?
'Be not afraid of their faces ...' Jeremiah 1:8
Do you find yourself constantly comparing yourself to other people? Have you got a case of 'if-only-itis'? You always see where everyone else gets it right, and you just keep getting it wrong? You wish you were more like your best mate. Or maybe you always see the glass half empty, 'They'll never want to talk to me', or 'I could never do that' or 'Why would they go out with me when they could have someone better?'
If that's you, stop! Rewind! Try and look at yourself with a God-mirror. Isaiah 43:4 says 'That's how much you mean to me! That's how much I love you! I'd sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you.' (TM). That's you He's talking about there. Say to yourself: 'They're what God made them, and I'm what God made me. I'm unique - in a good way. Yes, I make mistakes, but I'm not a mistake. With God's grace, I can work on loving myself, on being the capable person He's made me to be'.
Accept that it's a process. You don't have to get it right straight away - after all, you're only human! But if God says you can do it, you can, so face your fears. Do what you've been afraid to do. God's promise of '... I am with you ...' (Jeremiah 1:19 NLT) was all Jeremiah needed, and it's all you need too.
written by Bob Gass
'Be not afraid of their faces ...' Jeremiah 1:8
Do you find yourself constantly comparing yourself to other people? Have you got a case of 'if-only-itis'? You always see where everyone else gets it right, and you just keep getting it wrong? You wish you were more like your best mate. Or maybe you always see the glass half empty, 'They'll never want to talk to me', or 'I could never do that' or 'Why would they go out with me when they could have someone better?'
If that's you, stop! Rewind! Try and look at yourself with a God-mirror. Isaiah 43:4 says 'That's how much you mean to me! That's how much I love you! I'd sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you.' (TM). That's you He's talking about there. Say to yourself: 'They're what God made them, and I'm what God made me. I'm unique - in a good way. Yes, I make mistakes, but I'm not a mistake. With God's grace, I can work on loving myself, on being the capable person He's made me to be'.
Accept that it's a process. You don't have to get it right straight away - after all, you're only human! But if God says you can do it, you can, so face your fears. Do what you've been afraid to do. God's promise of '... I am with you ...' (Jeremiah 1:19 NLT) was all Jeremiah needed, and it's all you need too.
written by Bob Gass
