I know what you're thinking.
"What the heck is she talking about."
Exact same what I was thinking, when that thought had first come to my mind.
When God had sent his son, Jesus Christ down to the world, he broke the wall that kept God and his people apart. From that point on, we were able to have this personal relationship with not only Jesus Christ, but with God himself. We're saved from the shipwrecks in our lives and made new again!
But since that time, we've long forgotten who we are at times. We change clothes to look like the opposite gender, put our hair in a certain way, walk/talk in a certain way to appear "Cool", starve ourselves, create injuries upon us.. we truly have forgotten what we are and who we are.
Galatians 1:10, "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ."
Although some of always go to Sunday morning Church, sing on stage at their Youth Group, write worship songs, go out with friends and have bible studies, we some how forget one of the most important things Jesus truly wants us to do. It doesn't matter how many Religious activities we are involved in; weather that would mean being a teacher, on a Worship team or anything else, because God still sees what's going on after you put down the microphone or shut the door. Just because you may be involved in some things, doesn't mean that's your straight path to certainty and happiness.
Let's take a look at another thing for a moment; suppose I had asked you, "What do you like?" Of course you'd answer something around the terms of, "God, singing, song-writing, birds, ice cream, swimming, running, drawing..." and so on. Trust me, those are all good things! But I bet you, I could sit there until you had listed everything in your mind, and maybe--just maybe, the last thing you would say is... Yourself.
Don't get me wrong; I've been guilty of this since the very beginning. I suffered from depression for 2 and a half years, along with self harm and being suicidal. The last thing that would ever come to my mind was that I loved myself. Even after it had gotten better, I would still look at myself in the mirror and change my hair quickly, straighten out my shirt and make sure I looked presentable for everyone before I had went out in Public. The most time I would ever take on my appearance, was when I went to Youth Group; which is exactly the last place I should've been doing that. Even if I accepted that Christ made me unique, I would still look at myself in the dark around 2 AM, wondering what I would wear the next day or even criticizing how I looked at that moment. I know that you, the reader, may have felt like this as well at one point or another.
As a young teenager myself, I have come to know a lot of people that have insecurity. My best friend who is 17, for an example. In my eyes, he's perfect because he has the flaws that he does and the past that he's experienced. But to him, I can tell when he spends extra time on his hair or outfit even if he does deny it when confronted. It may happen less, but that part is still there inside of us that cares a little more about how people think of us then anything else. But... why? Why are we still caring about how people view us, or how they'll think for a few seconds when they see us as who we truly are? I know that I didn't get to see how my best friend truly was until after a couple months of knowing him. We put up these appearances to please people, to make them laugh or smile and just to see the look on their face that can almost confirm their like in us.
One thing continues, though: "God's word will always remain the same, even if society is constantly changing."
In the book of John, you'll see a very interesting man by the name of John the Baptist. He wasn't... quite like the others. He was constantly called "Odd" because wore unusual clothes, ate strange food, and preached an unusual message. Do you know how he reacted to those kinds of thoughts and words?...
..He Didn't! He wasn't interested on how unique his appearance was to others, because he was so incredibly focused on his unique role he was called to play! Even after Jesus had come, some of his disciples had told him, "Jesus is more popular than you!" but John simply replied, "He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less." (John 3:30)
Shouldn't we all learn from this incredible man? Even Jesus had thought of him as one of the best teachers! But.. why aren't we learning, then?
God has expressed multiple times that we are his creation; beautiful and wonderfully made. In fact.. we're his Signature, in a way!
Look outside. Depending on when you're reading this, you may see the innocence of white, fluffy clouds that fill the sky and the sun shining through them. Or, you may see the twinkling stars, held steady by the hand of our God. Forgetting all the senseless debate on how any of this got there; we're called to live right now. We shouldn't be the ones that are looking in the mirror and hating what we see, or constantly changing who we are to please the eyes of another. Is your girlfriend/boyfriend the one that had died for you? How about your friends?
You already have enough people that will criticize you in your life. It's inevitable, even Jesus was hated and mocked. Society will always be changing and we won't ever be perfect in it's eyes.
Although we aren't perfect, we ARE enough. For who? Jesus.
God created the world in the most beautiful ways; it's so simple to look outside and love what you see! And in that way, that's how we are like God's signature. We're one of the steps to the final part, signing off on the beautiful creation and proving that God was the one that had truly made these beautiful things... even You. The world won't stop to smell the roses; they'll be stopping to look at you. And even if it's the most intense pressure you'll face, you need to remember that God has created you in the most beautiful, outstanding and incredible way. To him, you mean more then the entire world. You're worth his son dying on a cross. So don't worry about what others will say about you, or how you look or talk or act. God has such an amazingly detailed plan for you to carry out, and I think we all need to learn from John the Baptist in that way; not to focus on our appearances or how we act, or even the things that we're doing at times. We need to be focusing on how everything we say and do can bring the absolute Glory to God and his plan for everyone.
-Rose
Books; John, Matthew and 2 Corinthians.
Songs; Healing Begins (Tenth Avenue North), Grace Enough for You (Josh Wilson) and Beautiful (Mercy Me).
"What the heck is she talking about."
Exact same what I was thinking, when that thought had first come to my mind.
When God had sent his son, Jesus Christ down to the world, he broke the wall that kept God and his people apart. From that point on, we were able to have this personal relationship with not only Jesus Christ, but with God himself. We're saved from the shipwrecks in our lives and made new again!
But since that time, we've long forgotten who we are at times. We change clothes to look like the opposite gender, put our hair in a certain way, walk/talk in a certain way to appear "Cool", starve ourselves, create injuries upon us.. we truly have forgotten what we are and who we are.
Galatians 1:10, "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ."
Although some of always go to Sunday morning Church, sing on stage at their Youth Group, write worship songs, go out with friends and have bible studies, we some how forget one of the most important things Jesus truly wants us to do. It doesn't matter how many Religious activities we are involved in; weather that would mean being a teacher, on a Worship team or anything else, because God still sees what's going on after you put down the microphone or shut the door. Just because you may be involved in some things, doesn't mean that's your straight path to certainty and happiness.
Let's take a look at another thing for a moment; suppose I had asked you, "What do you like?" Of course you'd answer something around the terms of, "God, singing, song-writing, birds, ice cream, swimming, running, drawing..." and so on. Trust me, those are all good things! But I bet you, I could sit there until you had listed everything in your mind, and maybe--just maybe, the last thing you would say is... Yourself.
Don't get me wrong; I've been guilty of this since the very beginning. I suffered from depression for 2 and a half years, along with self harm and being suicidal. The last thing that would ever come to my mind was that I loved myself. Even after it had gotten better, I would still look at myself in the mirror and change my hair quickly, straighten out my shirt and make sure I looked presentable for everyone before I had went out in Public. The most time I would ever take on my appearance, was when I went to Youth Group; which is exactly the last place I should've been doing that. Even if I accepted that Christ made me unique, I would still look at myself in the dark around 2 AM, wondering what I would wear the next day or even criticizing how I looked at that moment. I know that you, the reader, may have felt like this as well at one point or another.
As a young teenager myself, I have come to know a lot of people that have insecurity. My best friend who is 17, for an example. In my eyes, he's perfect because he has the flaws that he does and the past that he's experienced. But to him, I can tell when he spends extra time on his hair or outfit even if he does deny it when confronted. It may happen less, but that part is still there inside of us that cares a little more about how people think of us then anything else. But... why? Why are we still caring about how people view us, or how they'll think for a few seconds when they see us as who we truly are? I know that I didn't get to see how my best friend truly was until after a couple months of knowing him. We put up these appearances to please people, to make them laugh or smile and just to see the look on their face that can almost confirm their like in us.
One thing continues, though: "God's word will always remain the same, even if society is constantly changing."
In the book of John, you'll see a very interesting man by the name of John the Baptist. He wasn't... quite like the others. He was constantly called "Odd" because wore unusual clothes, ate strange food, and preached an unusual message. Do you know how he reacted to those kinds of thoughts and words?...
..He Didn't! He wasn't interested on how unique his appearance was to others, because he was so incredibly focused on his unique role he was called to play! Even after Jesus had come, some of his disciples had told him, "Jesus is more popular than you!" but John simply replied, "He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less." (John 3:30)
Shouldn't we all learn from this incredible man? Even Jesus had thought of him as one of the best teachers! But.. why aren't we learning, then?
God has expressed multiple times that we are his creation; beautiful and wonderfully made. In fact.. we're his Signature, in a way!
Look outside. Depending on when you're reading this, you may see the innocence of white, fluffy clouds that fill the sky and the sun shining through them. Or, you may see the twinkling stars, held steady by the hand of our God. Forgetting all the senseless debate on how any of this got there; we're called to live right now. We shouldn't be the ones that are looking in the mirror and hating what we see, or constantly changing who we are to please the eyes of another. Is your girlfriend/boyfriend the one that had died for you? How about your friends?
You already have enough people that will criticize you in your life. It's inevitable, even Jesus was hated and mocked. Society will always be changing and we won't ever be perfect in it's eyes.
Although we aren't perfect, we ARE enough. For who? Jesus.
God created the world in the most beautiful ways; it's so simple to look outside and love what you see! And in that way, that's how we are like God's signature. We're one of the steps to the final part, signing off on the beautiful creation and proving that God was the one that had truly made these beautiful things... even You. The world won't stop to smell the roses; they'll be stopping to look at you. And even if it's the most intense pressure you'll face, you need to remember that God has created you in the most beautiful, outstanding and incredible way. To him, you mean more then the entire world. You're worth his son dying on a cross. So don't worry about what others will say about you, or how you look or talk or act. God has such an amazingly detailed plan for you to carry out, and I think we all need to learn from John the Baptist in that way; not to focus on our appearances or how we act, or even the things that we're doing at times. We need to be focusing on how everything we say and do can bring the absolute Glory to God and his plan for everyone.
-Rose
Books; John, Matthew and 2 Corinthians.
Songs; Healing Begins (Tenth Avenue North), Grace Enough for You (Josh Wilson) and Beautiful (Mercy Me).