WHO AM I? by Sandy Sandmeyer
Where do we get our faulty self-perception? Was it from our parents, siblings, classmates, the public? We must remember that there are very few women who look like what we perceive of as the ideal woman, yet we continue to try to look like or emulate her. We think we will never be good enough or that we’ll never measure up. We continue to look for our value in the outside world by exercising ourselves to death, starving ourselves, living lifestyles that don’t satisfy, and do things that the world tells us we have to do to be ideal.
Let me tell you that the world is trying to sell you a lie! I think of the woman who’s had multiple surgeries to look like every little girl’s ideal woman: Barbie. She looks like a caricature. She doesn’t even look real. How can she even think that looks good?
If we are made in God’s image (Genesis 1:27), then we must have some value. That verse means that our very souls, who we are, were made in the image of God. We need to stop trying to be someone else. We are never going to be exactly like any woman that we admire. Never look like her, talk like her, have her life, and certainly we will never be her on the inside. And, frankly, inside beauty is so much more beautiful anyway.
What are the most poetic, lovely things that any person could ever tell you? That you’re beautiful? That you do whatever you do the best? Personally, God’s words are the most poetic, beautiful compliments. His words are what every woman longs to hear from the person she loves, because He sees us the way we really are.
God tells us that we are:
You were chosen before the creation of the world (Ephesians 1:4, 11, Ephesians 4:1; 2 Timothy 1:9)
You are My workmanship (Ephesians 2:10)
You belong to Me (1 Corinthians 6:20)
You are dearly loved (Colossians 3:12)
You have been shown the riches of My grace (Ephesians 2:7)You are forgiven (Ephesians 1:8; Colossians 1:14)
You have been justified (Romans 5:1)
You are no longer condemned (Romans 8:1, 2)
You are set free (Romans 8:2; John 8:32)
You are dead to sin (Romans 1:12)
You are alive with Christ (Ephesians 2:5)
You are promised eternal life (John 6:47)
You are redeemed from the curse of the Law (Galatians 3:13, Ephesians 1:8)
You are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)
You are a holy temple (Ephesians 2:21-22; 1 Corinth. 6:19)
You are holy and blameless (Ephesians 1:4)
You are sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13)
You are adopted as My child (Ephesians1:5,John 1:12)
You are a member of My household (Ephesians 2:19)
You have access to Me, your Father (Ephesians 2:18)
You are My friend (John 15:15)
You are My coworker (2 Corinthians 6:1)
You are My disciple (John 13:15
You have hope (Ephesians 1:12-13)
You have peace (Ephesians 2:14 , 2:20)
You have purpose (Ephesians 1:9 & 3:11)
You are not alone (Hebrews 13:5)
You are not helpless (Philippians 4:13)
You are persevering (Philippians 3:14)
You are protected (John 10:28, I John 5:18)
You are victorious (1 Corinthians 15:57, I John 5:4)
You are more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37)
You are a light in the world (Matthew 5:14)
You are a minister of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:17-20)
You have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7)
You are not in want (Philippians 4:19)
You are qualified to share in My inheritance (Colossians 1:12)
You are promised a full life (John 10:10)
You are blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3)
You can approach Me with freedom and confidence (Ephesians 3:12)
You have been established, anointed and sealed by God (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)
You are a citizen of heaven (Philippians 3:20)
You are seated in the heavenly realms (Ephesian 2:6)
