Where does our value come from?

In January I will speaking at a church on the topic of Self Worth. And what a journey it has been to be at a place where I can get up and talk about how much God values us! I am so humbled that God is allowing me to speak on his behalf.

While I have been studying and preparing God's message to this particular group of people, I have found myself asking "Where does our value come from?" Of course it is easy to say "It is from God." But really if we take the time to examine this question what do you think your list would look like? Would it include your job or position at work? Would it include the house you live in or the car you drive? Would it include the clothes you wear? Would it include the approval and acceptance of others? Would it be in raising your children or from your spouse? Would it be what you look like?

I was thinking about this yesterday a lot and having a conversation with someone. We were talking about how much people in the media get paid and how there are so many people struggling. We discussed the fact that our world puts so much value on these people that they are paid so much money, are admired and followed and talked about. We buy magazines just to catch up on what these "stars" are doing. We watch entertainment shows, interviews, and talk shows if our favorite actor/actress/performer are on there. Now I love a good movie and good music...so this isn't about that. What I am getting at is where our world puts value. Our world spends more time on watching these entertainers than on their own character, integrity or serving.

It is so easy to look for value in our world...because we are told to work hard to be successful...value in our job. We are told our children are good when they behave and perform well in activities...value from our kids. We are told that we deserve to have nice things...value in things (homes, cars, clothes). Our world is shows what they call perfect people, perfect homes, the best of things list and if we have that we have value.

I spent my life looking for my value from people and their approval and acceptance of myself. I immersed myself in an eating disorder in order to not only to punish myself, but to seek the approval of people. I put value in the way I looked and the way people saw my physical appearance. I wasn't spending time finding value in Godly character or if I had integrity.

As I study God's Word in this area I am so encouraged! I am so filled with joy and excitement that I don't need to be that people pleaser anymore. I don't have to starve and look "perfect" to be worth approval. I get to just bask in the fact that God values me. I get to saturate myself in His love because he calls me "his masterpiece". I am going to be talking about this in January...how we are "his masterpiece" and we were "bought with a high price".

God so wants us to know that He values us so much that He sent his Son to the cross to die...d-i-e. Die for us. Why? Because he values us so much that he wanted each one of us to be saved...forgiven...to live in His fullness. HE VALUES US. HE VALUES YOU!

I know that many will read that and have a hard time believing that for themselves. I know that because I use to believe it for everyone except myself. I could tell you a zillion times what the scriptures say about how much God loves you and values you, but you have to know it as truth for yourself. I had to learn how to believe it for myself. I had to accept it...to know it was meant for me as well as you. It didn't happen overnight. It took time. But it took a choice. A choice to say "God's Word is truth and if I truly love and follow God I must believe these truths for me and live them."

Practical application: Pray and ask God to reveal to you the places that you are finding value outside of Him. Write them down. Pray to put those things in their place. It is okay to have a nice house and car. It is okay to dress fashionably. But they need to have their place in your life that does not place them above the Lord. Continue to pray asking God to direct you in this area. He might ask you to give something away. He might ask you to serve in a way you hadn't thought before. He might ask you to to give up something for a period of time. If you want to share your list or your conversations with God....I would love to hear. If you need a partner in prayer, let me know.