|
|
| |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
| Thankful for many things, but me? |
|
| |
Yesterday, Thanksgiving Day 2007, was a day of joy and contentment, shared with dear family around food, conversation, and laughter. Like millions of other Americans, we set the day aside to intentionally be thankful for the innumerable blessings God has bestowed. And like most who read this, we found it easy to be thankful to God! It was easy to be thankful for our greatest blessing, God Himself! His love, his provision, his Redeemer, his Spirit, and on and on!
It was also easy to be thankful for family! For my wife Laura, my greatest earthly blessing, who models Christ in her tireless grace shown towards her husband and children.
For my dear children, whose exuberant joy and playfulness keep me from growing old prematurely, and who show me daily how my heavenly Father sees (and puts up with) me!!
For my parents and brothers, who also bless me with a persistent and gracious love I know that I can count on for the rest of my life (or theirs).
For my church family, dear people whose faces light up when they see me, due to a devotion not only to me but the Savior we share as well. Their love is full of God’s grace and forgiveness!
And yes, for my MyChurch family as well! How enjoyable it has been to meet and interact with so many brothers and sisters in Christ. My love for God has been a much fuller experience this year as I’ve found so many to share it with!
Yet even as I was giving my heart fully to the Father in appreciation for these and so many other wonderful blessings, there was one thing I became aware of that I still find it a struggle to be thankful for. That is….me. Or rather, who I am. I’ve made many mistakes in life, fallen short quite a few times, and I have a few regrets. I continue to have annoying and inexplicable inabilities, and possess certain qualities and traits which I detest and cannot wait for God to wash away from my life. There are times when I have a hard time living with me!
Yet as I pondered this struggle, some realizations dawned on me. I am realizing that it is God who has made me who I was in the past, who I am now, and who I will be in the future! Would I change my past, now that I am realizing it was God who brought me to my present? For the first time, I consciously say NO!
139:13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. 139:14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
I also realize that God made me specifically to fill a particular void in the universe – the empty seat across from God in the unique relationship of He and I. There are no other two like us! He made me who I am in order to love him uniquely, and to be loved uniquely by him. To loath oneself is not only to disparage something so precious as to be worthy of God’s undivided attention (even if only for a moment), but ironically to exalt oneself as well, as this self loathing tends to become all consuming, touching many different areas of life, crowding out even God!
The purpose here is not to underscore the importance of healthy levels of confidence or self esteem, but rather to properly esteem God and his unspeakably awesome creative powers, in creating the wonder that is one of us. It took a Thanksgiving holiday for me to find joy in being thankful for who I am. I pray that any who read this can honestly say “Lord, thanks for making me who I am!!”
|
|
| To leave a comment or start your own blog: |
 |
or |
 |
Already a member? Login |
|
|
|
|
| What an awesome blog... I found that I really have a hard time forgiving myself... I can forgive others and I understand that God forgave me not only for the sins I committed before my salvation but for the sins I commit each day. Yet, I still at times realize that I have not totally forgiven myself and I believe that it hurts me in my walk for the Lord. Just as you stated the Lord made me and even though my sins were from my own free will the Lord will use this to help someone else. Sorry for babbling but, your blog hit home. |
|
|
Thanks Mike for another great blog. I believe that you touched on a point that is very important, which is to be thankful for who God made us to be. So often we ponder on everything that wrong about us and forget that God has created us in His image and we are special to Him.
"He made me who I am in order to love him uniquely, and to be loved uniquely by him.". Praise the Lord! |
|
|
Hi Cheryl, thanks for your comment! Babble on dear, if it hits home then the Spirit is likely trying to break through. :-) I too struggle with self forgiveness, as I'll bet many do. God's promises of forgiveness must be accepted, if we're really going to exalt Him higher than ourselves or our transgressions. This has been very meaningful to me in the last year or so, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." And if that doesn't quite get through my thick head..."as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."
Ragamuffin, awesome! I just wish that I could see my progress towards being conformed to his image! I'm an impatient man. But as of this Thanksgiving that may be changing. :-) |
|
|
Arlene, thank you for sharing that! (And I have a very hard time picturing you as the "bad twin"!)
Pastor Tim, thanks for dropping in, my friend! Made in God's image, good point! |
|
|
| "I also realize that God made me specifically to fill a particular void in the universe – the empty seat across from God in the unique relationship of He and I." Thanks Mike for who you are and helping me to be greatful for who I am. I should say who this awsome God made us. |
|
|
Trina |
 |
November 23, 2007 at 10:53pm |
|
Great blog Mike and I feel so blessed that you shared with us your Thanksgiving with family and friends. It was a wonderful and delightful story and I enjoyed it very much. God bless you and your family today, tomorrow, and always, Trina |
|
|
| Hebrews 10:14 (NIV) ...because by one sacrifice he (Jesus) has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
Past..........he has made
Present.....who are being made
Future.......forever
...for by one sacrifice (the Cross) he (Jesus) has made perfect forever...
We are perfect in the same way a new born is perfect. Indeed, we are born again into the kingdom.
...those who are being made holy...
We become holy the same way a newborn grows into adulthood. We will make messes. Learning to speak as a child of GOD takes time. Because we are His children GOD is with us each step of the way as we learn to walk. He is there for skinned knees and broken hearts, our quirky little fears and temper tantrums, our insecurities and our delusions of grandeur. He is always there to comfort, support, and love us.
.....peace..... |
|
|
Rosie |
|
November 24, 2007 at 12:12am |
|
POINT WELL MADE... GOD IS NOT SUPRISED BY US AND HE LOVES US NO MATTER WHAT... AND WE SHOULD LOVE OUR SELVES...THAT HONORS GOD WHEN WE DO.....MY DAUGHTER IN LAW WAS ASKING ME YESTERDAY WHY SHE STILL ACTS IN WAYS DISPLEASING TO HERSELF AND I TOLD HER GOD JUST HASN'T GOTTEN TO THOSE AREAS YET... THERE WERE OTHER ISSUES THAT WERE MORE PRESSING TO HIM... IN TIME HE WILL IRON YOU OUT REAL GOOD......(NO SPOT OR WRINKLE) GET IT... HAHA
|
|
|
| Good blog Mike! Great thought too! Wonderfully made- Wow! |
|
|
WOW!! This timely write has come at a perfect time in my life, all. You just would not believe it if I told you! I am thanking The Lord right now for this blog and I also thank Him for my special friend here who took the time out of his Thanksgiving day to minister to me.
I am a saved sinner who 'Is Being Made Perfect In Love.' I will not be bound again by the law. It cannot save me because Jesus Christ already did! The law cannot forgive me because Jesus Christ already did. I love Him because He first loved me. He sought me. He saved me. He keeps me. I deserved none of it. My righteousness was as filthy rags. He covered me with His Righteousness!
Thanks so much, Mike, for this write!
Blessings,
Forgiven. |
|
|
| Are you saying God's lap is big enough for all of us to sit in it? |
|
|
Mike, I think all of us struggle daily with who we are. But your blog has brought out so many wonderful and insightful points. There is not another Mike or Mary Stovall!!!! That is awesome in itself. And when we go before our FATHER he knows exactly whom he is dealing with in that moment of time. He knows our hearts and our requests and he loves us for who we are. He created us and he knew exactly how we would turn out. Love the good and our so called bad parts equally. OUR FATHER KNEW EXACTLY WHAT HE WAS DOING. What a blessing.
Love you Mike |
|
|
Dave, I am exceedingly pleased that the Lord used his gift to me to bless you, I'm glad to hear that you too are grateful to God for who you are!
Cathy (Forgiven), I am always thrilled to hear about God's perfect timing when delivering words that minister, thanks so much for letting me know!!
Trina, Rosie, Keith, Mary, Jack, Arlene, I deeply appreciate your comments! Yes Mary, you are unique and never hidden from God's eye!
apureheart, that is a fantastic scripture reference!!! Thank you for sharing it, it's perfect! |
|
|
Randy |
|
November 24, 2007 at 10:42am |
|
| All I can say is Amen. What a great BLOG. |
|
|
Deb |
|
November 24, 2007 at 12:26pm |
|
| Great blog once again Mike. I do think that we all have some things that we don't like about ourselves, and I tend to get tired of living with myself at times too! But I thank God for every stupid thing I have done, because He turned it around and made it good, and brought me to where I am today. |
|
|
Deb, you are a wise woman! And I don't just say that b/c of your comment here. I've read many of your blogs and am always blessed by your insights. It is probably as hard for me to see you doing stupid things as it is for you to see me doin 'em. God made us, molecule by molecule. He knitted those things together as ONLY he could, establishing a plan for growth and future development. And all for a purpose - to be engaged with him, to love, worship, glorify... Simply awesome. How could we not love who he made us? Well, when our eyes come off him, it's easy.
Randy, thank you! I love it when you come around. You need to make more noise around here, the warmth of your personality could really improve this place! :-) |
|
|
Mike great post! Thanks for sharing. The Holy Spirit brought this verse to my heart after reading your very nice blog post.
Sincerely, Your Sister In Christ,
DeeDee
"Pray Without Ceasing" |
|
|
Dena |
|
November 25, 2007 at 7:11am |
|
Great blog Mike. One of my favorite quotes is by Joyce Meyer: "I know I'm not where I should be; but praise God, I'm not where I used to be."
Amen! |
|
|
haha, that's a great one Dena! Really speaks to approaching God in humility!
|
|
|
Glenn |
|
November 28, 2007 at 9:37am |
|
Hey Mike, just a little late to the party here. Now I really do see we are much the same.
You wrote" To loath oneself is not only to disparage something so precious as to be worthy of God’s undivided attention (even if only for a moment), but ironically to exalt oneself as well, as this self loathing tends to become all consuming, touching many different areas of life, crowding out even God!"
You are all to right, when we have our eyes on us, we miss much of God's love and grace in our lives. While we need to have a healthy view of our short comings, we need to know that God has covered them completely forever with His grace. Thanks again for reminding me.
peace |
|
|
Gene |
|
November 28, 2007 at 5:36pm |
|
Mike, we all love ya, bro!
I'm glad that you had a good Thanksgiving and that you recalled all the wonderful things for which you are truly thankful. in our own small way, we fulfill God's plan. I'm thankful that you're a part of it. |
|
|
Gene, by golly, I really love you man! You really touched my heart.
Isn't it beautiful, Glenn? The thought that our Almighty Everlasting God set his eyes on each of us long enough to create us, knitting each of us together in the womb! There's no human being assembly line!! That scripture gives such a picture of the artisan at work! And the amazing thing is, this doesn't cause us to gaze fascinated at ourselves but to adore the Almighty in awe and wonder! You're right, we miss so much when our eyes are on ourselves. I think that I've been missing much lately.
DeeDee (PeaceAngel), I thank you so much for the colorful comment, this place needs more color! |
|
|
More Posts from Mike n Laura
|
|
|
|
|
|
back to top
