Just Stop

I’m overly critical of myself.  Too critical.  I subject myself to grueling trials where I serve as the prosecutor, jury, and judge…always finding myself guilty. 

Guilty.  Guilty.  Guilty.

One day God said, “JUST STOP!”  Stop poring over every fault, every mistake, and every failure.  Stop receiving condemnation (an expression of strong disapproval; the act of judging as unfit for use; final judgment of guilty.) when all I want to do is love you.

Believe it or not…God loves us right where we’re at…right as we are.  It took me a really long time to understand that.  Some days I still lose sight of His capacity to love me because I’m too focused on everything I’m not and everything I need to improve on.

I need to be a better mother, daughter, friend, co-worker, sister, and so on and so forth. 

That’s true.  I can improve in each of those areas.  However, it’s important that I recognize God’s willingness to love me as I improve.  I must recognize His willingness to love me through my faults, my mistakes, and my failures. 

Allow God to BE God in your life.  Trust God to work in you and through you to make you the person He has called you to be.  God will not and has not EVER given up on you.  He pursued you even when you were knee deep in sin.  He pursued you even when you didn’t acknowledge His existence.  He will complete His work within you.  He’s not frustrated, upset, or disappointed in you. He didn’t send His Spirit to condemn you.  He sent you the GREATEST Helper, Counselor, Teacher, Motivator, Encourager, and Comforter to guide you into becoming the person He has called you to be.  Receive His help…refuse the guilt that stems from pride and a desire for perfection.  You aren’t perfect.  You don’t have it going on.  We are nothing without Him, but we are EVERYTHING with Him. 

So, today say this…

“I’m OK with who I am.  I love who God has designed me to be.  I am not where I want to be, but I have changed and I’m better than I was last year, last month, and even yesterday.  If God can love me as He improves me…So, will I.  God has not given up on me.  I choose to trust God.  I choose to yield to His guidance.  I know that God can take all the fragments—failures, mistakes, and faults—and produce even greater results if I trust myself—all of my broken self—to His care.  I am relevant.  I am worthy.  I will make myself available to God and the work He wants to do in me.”



Written by Ashley Ivery