What is your worth?
There is a word, in our world, that likes to make itself very well known.
It's a word that seeps into our daily lives and wraps itself around each of our thoughts - like a twisty, thorny weed.
It's there when we feel at the top of our game, thrilled by the rush of the Holy Spirit; invading our souls and minds.
The enemy loves to use it because, at times, he is successful in beating us down with it.
The word?
Unworthy.
How many times have you turned something down, squashed a thought or walked away because you felt unworthy?
Oh, how I could share with you all the moments that I missed out on opportunities because of that feeling of unworthiness. So many times have I not spoke up or stepped out in faith because I have felt unworthy. And just to make this post even more depressing, want to hear some of the synonyms of unworthy? How about blamable, improper, unbecoming, valueless, wretched and... perhaps the most awful one... nothing.
Now, I bet you are totally regretting reading this today. "Gosh Melissa, way to uplift on a Monday!" Just hold on! I promise this is going to get better. This is how we do things, you know? We have to be real and face the muck around these parts. This is all about sharing our stories and, ladies, I know you can relate with this! We have all, at one point or another, felt unworthy. It's true. By our own account or because someone else told us.
It's definitely how I felt for a long time. There were so many times I longed to step up and do things but, that overbearing feeling of unworthiness just took control.
Here are a couple of examples of my conversations with unworthiness.
As a teen:
I want to try out for the volleyball team! You're not good enough. Don't bother!
Oh that girl looks nice to talk to! Nope, she's not going to like you.
That club looks like so much fun! Mmmm... nah, you are definitely not that club material.
As a grown-up:
That job sounds so amazing, maybe I'll just send my resume in and see what happens.
Seriously? You think they are going to even call you for an interview? Don't even bother.
Oh, that woman's group looks like a good one. I'd love to grow and learn with that group.
Yeah, just wait until they hear your story and kick you out!
I think I'm ready for that leadership role. Could it be something for me?
You? Lead? You're not as qualified as those other women.
Can you see where I'm going here? Now, let's also think about those times we've compared ourselves with other women in ministry. I recently wrote about comparison and competing in ministry because this was something I struggled with, in a big way. And, I think unworthiness has a significant role in our tendency to compare and compete.
There is good news here! I have a experienced it and I'm so excited to share about it. Scripture is oozing with God's truth, when it comes to our worthiness. It's words that cause me to delight in serving Him and taking those leaps of faith.
How can you not feel hope, love, worth and acceptance after reading all that??? Can't you just feel God's love oozing all over you? He created me and you. He loves us with a love that goes beyond our wildest imaginations. Our brains can't even fathom the kind of love He has for us.
So, what does that do to your worth? How has it changed mine?
Let me tell you. Since I have learned these truths about how God feels about me, it has torn that feeling of unworthiness to shreds. There is a power felt deep within and I know it is the Holy Spirit at work - it's me acknowledging and accepting that I have a new creation. The old has passed and the new has come.
What a powerful, powerful tool we have.
This past year has been a year of putting this into practice. I never thought I was worthy enough to start this ministry nor be a director of women's ministry. Yet, here I am. After taking some steps of faith, God is being glorified because I trusted in him.
Dear sister, are you sitting in unworthiness today? Is there something that has been pressing on your heart that you have been too afraid to pursue? Do you feel incapable? Uneducated? Like a nothing? Go read those pieces of scripture again and let them sink in. Let God take over the pen of writing your story and allow Him to show you that you. are. worthy.
It's a word that seeps into our daily lives and wraps itself around each of our thoughts - like a twisty, thorny weed.
It's there when we feel at the top of our game, thrilled by the rush of the Holy Spirit; invading our souls and minds.
The enemy loves to use it because, at times, he is successful in beating us down with it.
The word?
Unworthy.
How many times have you turned something down, squashed a thought or walked away because you felt unworthy?
Oh, how I could share with you all the moments that I missed out on opportunities because of that feeling of unworthiness. So many times have I not spoke up or stepped out in faith because I have felt unworthy. And just to make this post even more depressing, want to hear some of the synonyms of unworthy? How about blamable, improper, unbecoming, valueless, wretched and... perhaps the most awful one... nothing.
Now, I bet you are totally regretting reading this today. "Gosh Melissa, way to uplift on a Monday!" Just hold on! I promise this is going to get better. This is how we do things, you know? We have to be real and face the muck around these parts. This is all about sharing our stories and, ladies, I know you can relate with this! We have all, at one point or another, felt unworthy. It's true. By our own account or because someone else told us.
It's definitely how I felt for a long time. There were so many times I longed to step up and do things but, that overbearing feeling of unworthiness just took control.
Here are a couple of examples of my conversations with unworthiness.
As a teen:
I want to try out for the volleyball team! You're not good enough. Don't bother!
Oh that girl looks nice to talk to! Nope, she's not going to like you.
That club looks like so much fun! Mmmm... nah, you are definitely not that club material.
As a grown-up:
That job sounds so amazing, maybe I'll just send my resume in and see what happens.
Seriously? You think they are going to even call you for an interview? Don't even bother.
Oh, that woman's group looks like a good one. I'd love to grow and learn with that group.
Yeah, just wait until they hear your story and kick you out!
I think I'm ready for that leadership role. Could it be something for me?
You? Lead? You're not as qualified as those other women.
Can you see where I'm going here? Now, let's also think about those times we've compared ourselves with other women in ministry. I recently wrote about comparison and competing in ministry because this was something I struggled with, in a big way. And, I think unworthiness has a significant role in our tendency to compare and compete.
There is good news here! I have a experienced it and I'm so excited to share about it. Scripture is oozing with God's truth, when it comes to our worthiness. It's words that cause me to delight in serving Him and taking those leaps of faith.
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of the them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. Psalm 139:13-16
But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved - and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-8
Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Matthew 10:31
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
How can you not feel hope, love, worth and acceptance after reading all that??? Can't you just feel God's love oozing all over you? He created me and you. He loves us with a love that goes beyond our wildest imaginations. Our brains can't even fathom the kind of love He has for us.
So, what does that do to your worth? How has it changed mine?
Let me tell you. Since I have learned these truths about how God feels about me, it has torn that feeling of unworthiness to shreds. There is a power felt deep within and I know it is the Holy Spirit at work - it's me acknowledging and accepting that I have a new creation. The old has passed and the new has come.
But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8When we live our lives, knowing our true self-worth, we are like that tree. Because of our confidence is in Christ and because we shed off that feeling of unworthiness, we can have no fear and KNOW that God will never fail us.
What a powerful, powerful tool we have.
This past year has been a year of putting this into practice. I never thought I was worthy enough to start this ministry nor be a director of women's ministry. Yet, here I am. After taking some steps of faith, God is being glorified because I trusted in him.
Dear sister, are you sitting in unworthiness today? Is there something that has been pressing on your heart that you have been too afraid to pursue? Do you feel incapable? Uneducated? Like a nothing? Go read those pieces of scripture again and let them sink in. Let God take over the pen of writing your story and allow Him to show you that you. are. worthy.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21
