purpose, we don’t seek His blessing,
and we miss out on His favor.
crafting us before the world began!
He creates us with the right parents,
in the right culture, at the right time,
The struggle with self-conception
under the right circumstances. The
isn’t limited to a few people. It’s a
reality to which we are each born
universal problem. We live in a world
that shouts that we can’t measure up is not always ideal to us as humans,
but it is the best one because God
until and unless we meet someone
chose those circumstances in order
else’s expectations and achieve a
to best shape us, prepare us, and
certain standard of beauty, wealth,
give us opportunities to shine. In
and power. And beyond the world’s
God’s grand plans for us, He knew He
pervasive messages, human nature
would forgive us, adopt us, empower
is insecure. Even those who have
“made it” in the world’s eyes intuitively us with His Spirit, place us in a network
of relationships, equip us with talents
know they don’t measure up. God
and gifts, and lead us to find our
has made us so that only He can fill
true purpose. We may wander off
the deepest void in our hearts and
give us our highest meaning. He is the track for a while, but God graciously
source of our true identity. This identity uses even our stumbles to teach us
is based on the solid rock of His grace lessons we need to accomplish His
will. God doesn’t waste our sins, and
and gives us more joy and challenge
He doesn’t waste our pain. If we’ll let
than anything else life can offer.
Him, He’ll weave everything together
into a beautiful tapestry of beauty
We need to understand and blessing for us . . . and for the
benefit of others.
that God didn’t come
up with His divine plans
for us this morning.
David reminds us, “When I was
woven together in the depths of
the earth[,] [y]our eyes saw my
unformed body” (Ps.139:15–16). God
constructed His purpose for us before
the foundations of the earth were
established, before we were born,
and before we were born again.
God saw our potential and began
Some people believe they’re lost
causes. Many have been abused
or abandoned. Some are trying to
make it as single parents. The world—
and even our mothers—may have
concluded that we’re help- less,
hopeless, and worthless. But God
has a very different estimation. God
isn’t looking at us through the eyes of
our parents, our friends, our enemies,
or the ads we see each day. He’s
looking at us through His eyes of
tender love, profound hope, and
Solutions 61