Thirsty Thursday: Psalm 139:14

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Psalm 139:14

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking here lately. The kind of deep thinking where your 4 year old says “Mommy” about six times before you actually respond, though you subconsciously heard him every time prior. Lost in thought. Digging through questions about my identity, my worth or value, my physical and emotional state.

Since launching this blog, I have been addressed by people here and there praising my gifts as a writer. They have expressed how much they love the blog or how this post or that one touched them so deeply. If you have been touched, praise Jesus for that! For real, y’all. Every time I am complimented, I find myself wrestling the way I see myself. You see, this blog isn’t birthed from me seeing myself as a gifted writer or a great storyteller. Most importantly, it doesn’t come from the belief I am some marriage expert because certainly I am not. All quite the opposite.

No, this blog is birthed from roots of heartache, my greatest stumbling blocks, seasons where my faith was shaken. It came in the form of a prayer during a sleepless night begging God to make good with my story that it may one day help others. I was tired of tip-toeing around raw truth and exemplifying life as peaches and cream when it was shattering all around. I would assure God he had my marriage confused with someone else’s when it came to a hope and a future. Because God needs me telling Him what’s up, right? Wrong.

How do you see yourself, friend? Wonderfully made? Do you look in the mirror and praise Jesus for the body he gave you? Do you look at your creation and claim His works are wonderful in you? Has someone ever told you how pretty you looked, but you could barely accept the compliment because that’s not what you saw? Maybe someone witnessed how patient you are with your children and all you could think was, “Yeah if only they saw me an hour ago.”

Are we praising Jesus for His good works in us? Or are we complaining to Him about all the lack we see in ourselves? Do we recognize full well the magnificence of our being of which He created just as He saw fit? I confess I haven’t been in the praiseworthy mode. Gracefully, that’s changing.

Rather than seeing myself as much less gifted than other writers I follow, I am choosing to praise Jesus for the wonderful works He created in me to help encourage others. Rather than seeing myself as impatient because we have a few chaotic moments here and there, I’m choosing to praise Jesus for the patience I’ve been granted and allow myself grace at the end of the day.

What do you see in yourself as less than wonderful? Where do you run from praising Jesus because you have been so fixated on the lack rather than the gift?

Girl, you are precious in His sight. His works are wonderful and He wants you to know that full well.

My upcoming post will expand from here. First, we must attach this Scripture to our heart and mind even when we don’t necessarily feel it. It’s vital we believe it. From there, we can live it.

p.s. Have you ever considered how marriage can be hindered when we become so fixated on flaws rather than His good works in us meant to bring light to darkness?

the lovely exchange:

Beliefs we are less than wonderful and lacking in praise

Exchanged for

Beliefs His works in us make us wonderful and make Him worthy to be praised