With An Everlasting Love
I have loved you with an everlasting love.
As those words cascade over my soul I am drawn to a place of full surrender. A place of knowing. Knowing who I am and whose I am. A place of belonging as I rest in the arms of my Heavenly Father. But it was not always that way. There was a time in which those words would have pierced my heart in a very different way.
The years of abuse and the years of questioning who I was and most certainly what my purpose was had taken their toll on me and I was just simply tired. Feeling as if I wanted to give up, God graciously and lovingly scooped me up in His great big arms and placed me in a space where I could finally rest and learn to know and love Him as He truly is.
I wish I could say that this journey was just one turn around the corner and then arrived. But no. The journey has been just that. A journey. A journey of learning to trust. Both people and God. A journey of forgiving. Both others and myself. A journey or restoration as I have rewritten my story and learned to walk in the truth of who I am in Christ.
One of the most powerful aspects of my journey has been truly understanding who I am in Christ. I will admit, this hasn’t been easy. You see, I had years of beliefs that had become truths in my mind and my heart. Those beliefs had to be replaced with the truths that God has for me. And this, my friend, is true for you as well. God wants us to walk in boldness and confidence, knowing who we are in HIM. It is not by our might or our power but by HIS spirit that we can live in the purpose that He has for us!
How do I do that, you might be asking? I was there! I remember the years of knowing that God has something better for me. Knowing that my beliefs were not in alignment with His word. But also simply not knowing how to change that. As Christians this can be challenging as we pray, we read and study our bible, we go to church, we do all the “right” things. But are you allowing God to transform your thoughts? To rewire your beliefs to truly align with what His word says about you and about His love and attention to you?
Sometimes, because of our striving to “do all the right things” we forget about grace. We forget that God never expects us to be perfect. And we forget that His love is greater than anything else we could ever hold on to. Knowing and believing in His perfect and unconditional love for you is key to living in the glorious purpose that He has for your life! How do I get there, you may still be asking. Romans 12:2 urges us: Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you are able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.
Wow! Here we have it friend! When you are caught up in the thought patterns, the conversation, the beliefs of the world, it will be difficult to know what He is calling you to. But, when you transform the way you think and your beliefs you can walk fully in His plan for you! What an amazing gift that we have been given!
Did you know that your thoughts create your feelings, your feelings create your actions, your actions create your results? The transformation begins in your mind as you make daily, even hourly choices to think on the things of the world OR to fix your mind on God’s truths. What you allow your mind to dwell on and focus on will ultimately determine the results you will experience in your life.
I encourage you to spend a few minutes writing out the truths from God’s word. What does He think about you? How does He feel about you? What plans does He have for you? Write out these things and hold tight to them. Every. Single. Day. Over and Over. When the doubts try to creep in or when the old belief system tries to rear its ugly head, simply reflect back to what GOD says about you! Nothing else matters!!
I am confident that if you do this as a daily practice you will begin to realize that your focus has changed. You will begin to see the opportunities in things that might have otherwise sent you into a frenzy and made you feel bad about yourself. You will recognize that instead of picking up the phone to vent to your friend you will pick up your bible to be reminded of who you are in Christ.
It makes a difference, my friend, and I truly want you to experience this for yourself! God’s plans for you are more than amazing! He loves you as you are and He sees you every moment of every day. You are not forgotten!
Go…be that amazing and powerful vessel that you were born to be!!!
