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Thursday, March 6, 2014

Believe you are wonderful

Have you ever experienced the following situation?

Someone pays you a compliment such as, "You look great today", "You are a valuable asset to our company", "You are a great mom" or "You are such a kind person."

Out of your mouth comes a gracious reply such as "Thank you", "Oh, you're so nice" or "Haha thanks."

But in your mind you're thinking..."Haha, yeah right. If they only knew what I know about myself" or "Could they really be talking about me?"

I've had a few of these moments this week. When someone has paid me a compliment, I initially believe them and am sincerely grateful, but then the doubts enter in.

"What, me wise?" "You think I'm pretty? I haven't showered in two days and my hair is greasy."

Tonight I had an experience that sparked the idea for this post. My grandma passed on a compliment from a friend of hers who I met just a few days ago.

Her friend said, referring to me, "Before she opened her mouth to say a word, I knew she was a wonderful person."

I felt grateful she would say that about me, but I didn't really believe it. Let me tell ya, I sure don't feel wonderful right now. I'm tired, stressed, overwhelmed, messy hair, messy house...yeah, not feeling super positive.

As I started to have these negative thoughts, I had an important realization. These thoughts were not coming from God. They were coming from someone who wants me to be miserable, someone who wants me to feel worthless so I'll doubt myself and turn away from God.

Satan wants me to think I'm worthless because he knows how much worth I have. He wants me to stop trying because he knows how much I can accomplish. He wants me to reject God because he doesn't want me on God's team. So I decided I'm going to do better at believing in myself and believing the positive things people say about me.

Sure, we are our own harshest critics, but we can also be our own biggest cheerleaders. So cheer away! Tell yourself you are wonderful. Believe the compliments when they come. Kick out the negative thoughts and doubts. When someone pays you a compliment, it is God's way of telling you He loves you and reminding you He's there. Sometimes we don't hear His quiet whisperings in our heart, so He uses the voice of another to send His love:

"I made you. I believe in you. I love you."

Believe you are wonderful. Believe you are capable. Believe you are incredible. Believe you are [insert every positive adjective here]. :)

Marianne Williamson beautifully states:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” 

Belief has power. So believe you are wonderful, and help others do the same. :)

1 comment:

  1. You really have a way with words! I love reading your posts because they so often lift me up and make me happy! Thanks for your example! :)

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