We live in a world that defines our worth by how much money we have. This same world was created by the God who defined our worth by saying, “You’re Mine!” Since we were created in the likeness of God, we each have incredible value. But God, our Father, didn’t stop there. When God saw how sin-wrecked His creatures became, He showed our worth by sending His only Son, Jesus, to die for our sins and to set us free.
Instead of allowing our culture to define our worth, we should turn to God to discover our true worth. Our culture will tell us that we should work at developing our self-esteem. God already esteems us. We’re His beloved sons and daughters. Before the creation of the world, God’s plan was to adopt us into His family. When we surrender to God’s loving plan for our lives, we discover our worth, our significance, and our purpose. We were made in love to love. We love because God first loved us.
But most people haven’t surrendered their lives to our loving God. Instead, they’re chasing after the gods of our culture hoping that they’ll bring peace, hope, or joy. But they don’t, and they can’t, and they won’t. If most people are driven by money, anxiety, or tradition, why would they surrender the controls of their life to a God who fully knows and fully loves them? They don’t! Until their lives crash, or until they encounter people who are fully in love with Christ and fully love them. It wrecks them. Their way of living. Their way of understanding. Their values, lifestyles, spending, and traditions. It just doesn’t make any sense.
Why chase after something you already have? Worth. Why work more, worry more, do more, and become over-stressed, so you don’t even have the time or energy to enjoy what’s been freely given to you. Life. Time. Family. Friends. Work. Play. Love. What most people are chasing after is empty. Meaningless. The pursuit of what we don’t have yet can wreck us, unless we’re pursing the God who is always pursuing us with His endless love.
I spent way too many years of my life pursuing what doesn’t bring peace, security, or happiness. You may feel stuck in a stressed-out lifestyle working, worrying, or doing too much. You may feel like you have to in order to survive. But God is watching you, and He’ll pursue you with His perfect love until you finally give in. You may not believe in God yet. You may have not yet experienced God’s tangible love in life-changing ways. But I’ll bet you have people around you who are demonstrating God’s love to you. It may not make much sense to you. But if I could give you the gift of a mustard seed sized faith, it’s all the faith you need.
As Christmas is around the corner, I want to thank, encourage, and challenge each of you, my Spirit-Driven friends. Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for your many expressions of love. Thank you for all the ways you’ve encouraged me. You have great worth in God’s eyes and in my eyes. And since I can’t miss an opportunity to challenge you. I want to challenge you in three ways before 2019 ends.
#1 Take some time to reflect on how God has been at work in and through your life in 2019, and prayerfully ask God what He wants to do in your life in 2020.
#2 Love people deeply from your heart, and make sure you’re intentionally loving people who haven’t yet come to faith in Jesus Christ.
#3 Please consider clicking on the donate tab and giving an end-of-the-year gift to Spirit-Driven as we partner with you to intentionally take steps to develop tools, people, relationships, and groups as God is setting His people free.
Merry Christmas