Have you ever found yourself in awe of nature? The beauty of a hummingbird. The sunset, or sunrise that takes your breath away. The birth of a new baby leaving you in awe of the power and strength of a mother. I have and I bet you have, too. Why? Because all of Creation sends awe-inspiring messages if we quiet ourselves long enough to listen.
As a matter of fact, in the book of Romans, chapter 1, verse 20, Paul reminds us that God reveals himself to us through all of creation; “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”
God is all around us, revealing to us who He is and how much He loves us as part of His creation. Not only does God long to reveal Himself to us, but He also longs to reveal how He sees you and me.
We may see all of our faults and failures, but God sees all of our gifts and potential. We may see our shame and limitations, but God sees His Son and all things being possible in Jesus. I have found that my perception of myself is skewed because it is faulty; being formed as I have interpreted the world around me and how I relate to it. I am not the only one, all of humanity has done the same, and, in turn, humanity has a faulty belief system about themselves, God, others, and the world as a whole.
How can I be so certain that you and I do not see us as we really are, rather we see ourselves through a distorted lens? Because we look for ourselves in all the wrong places. God has designed us in His image. Therefore, if we are designed in the image of God, our perception of ourselves must only be formed when we look to God and sit in His presence long enough to understand who God is and how we reflect God’s characteristics within ourselves.
This takes time with the Lord. Sitting and being still. Listening. Reading the Word. Talking to friends who are in pursuit of God. I call this my “Garden Spots.” In Brave Enough to Change, we talk about how to develop “Garden Spots” and I must say, I am different today because of these intimate self-development moments with God.
By sitting in my “Garden Spots,” I have found that to fully understand who I am and how much I am loved, I must rest there for a while until I can fully embrace the Lover of my Soul. For it is in this space and in this relationship that I grow to fully know Him and myself.
The Garden
A sanctuary of peace, quiet, and calm
Calls forth, beckoning me
To slow my pace, and sit awhile
Under the cool of the shade tree.
'Tis there I can contemplate
Beauty, at best,
Capturing the birth, I see
Of blended colors, textures, and scents,
All gifts and reflections of Thee.
Learn more and further your self-development with Brave Enough to Change today.