For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. (Psalm 139:13-14 NKJV)
Have you ever been considered ‘different’ than those around you…perhaps even ridiculed for being unlike your peers? The truth is, God created you to be distinct from everyone else. There’s nobody else in this world exactly like you. You are unique. You are a part of God’s Great Design. His plan for your life began at Creation. (Eph. 1:11) You are extraordinary.
Sadly, others don’t always see us as God sees us. He sees our hearts and knows our thoughts, while others only see our outward appearances. Oftentimes, other people’s assumptions about us, aren’t necessarily fair or true. Sometimes, that can cause people to speak words to us that are hurtful, and can leave us feeling rejected, criticized and insecure.
I was born with a physical disability and have been considered by some, to be ‘different’ throughout my whole life. Not everyone has physical issues as I have had, but each of us has a life story that is unique. For one reason or another, many of us are considered ‘different’ than the accepted ‘norm.’ Regardless of why we are seen that way, the result is the same in that we are left with some emotional baggage to deal with.
I’ve spent a lot of years feeling the effects of rejection, and dealing with low self-esteem because of words that others have spoken to me. To this day, I find myself dealing with the issue of low self-esteem periodically. Thankfully, now I know the truth about what God says about me in His Word, the Bible. He has made me aware of His love like never before, and because of that, I’ve been changed on the inside. The way that I view myself, other people, and my place in the world has changed. Now that I have experienced God’s love personally, in such a life-altering way, I have a desire to share that love with others.
These days, when I am tempted to go back into that old feeling of insecurity, I can think about how much God loves and values me. That strengthens and empowers me to persevere, and to be successful in life. God is unbiased and His love for every one of us is exactly the same.
My prayer today is, “Heavenly Father, thank you for making me unique and special. Please help me to see myself as You see me, and to believe what you say about me, more than I believe anyone else’s words. I praise you that I am fearfully and wonderfully made, as is everyone.”
