IDENTIFY: Part III

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your path straight."

Proverbs 3:4-5

It may not seem like much but I pushed so limits with this photoshoot. I use to be scared to take photos of my face straight-on, I didn't like wearing shorts for photos, I would never wear no makeup, and I'd never part my hair down the center. It's makes me giggle because these things seem so nominal and pointless in a world with real problems. However, how you see yourself molds the container which greatness comes from and if this container is cracked then it won't function as it should.

In my past post, IDENTIFY: Part II, I discussed the importance of surrounding yourself with those who strengthen you. Today I take a look in the mirror. All those little critiques that I had about myself were based on me comparing myself with other bloggers on the internet. Why? Well obviously because I am also a blogger on the internet and they are my community. It's kind of ridiculous how we are always comparing and competing with one another. This is many times a good thing, for example in our academics, but when it leads to inner self-disdain it can be detrimental to us. 

The verse I share today, Proverbs 3:4-5, is a tough one for me. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart... lean not on your own understanding" (Proverbs 3:4)... hmmm... this basically tells us to fully trust and give up who we are for God. Just one line later, it proclaims that God will work everything out. It can be so difficult to trust people, especially as we recognize how many mistakes we all make on a daily basis and how cruel all of us can be to ourselves and each other. However, this act of trusting God can alleviate us from stress and pressures of this world (even better than an Aleve tablet lol). So where does our fear come from? I know mine stems from doubt -- when I don't see result in the short run. But when I sit down to think about it, and I mean really think about it, God honestly blesses me and has worked out any struggle I have been through - especially when I gave myself up to Him and did so with the promise that the outcome will be for His glory. What holds you back from trusting in God?

Yesterday I spent some time with an "influencer." You know, one of those people who make you content with the world and whose perspective really jives with you and makes you think. Anyways, he said some things to me that served as validation. Who you are and where you are going is an individual category in itself. As long as you know that you are an individual, you do not need to be conforming what makes you an individual to what may be most popular. This isn't necessarily a new message to me or you, I assume. But even so it reminded me how I feel like I walk a fine line between what I say and what I do in this aspect. As a person who continuously tries to better myself, I sometimes forget when my standards become conformity of those I look up to. Of course the ultimate glory is in Jesus Christ and being a reflection of His love and grace and mercy. Still, we live in society and are asked to do our best. 

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, and not for human masters."

Colossians 3:23

I am just grateful to have had someone, and a handful of someones, in my life who helps me see myself for the goals I have and the young woman that I am becoming in the context of living for Jesus Christ. I hope that this post and my blog can help inspire you, as a reader, as well. We always need people there who can support us as a whole, even if it's for a short while and we don't know them that well. God places people and season in our lives for a reason. And I am so blessed to see God working through me and others. May you too be inspired and blessed as you take one day at a time and continue onward! :D

Thank you Dante and Danielle for being these "someones" to me.

Really Actually Truly Grateful,

Christine

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