Dear Ones,
May you wake with a grateful heart for how God made you, just the way you are. This morning, I am going to do some baking and go to Women’s Bible Study. We had our picnic inside yesterday even though it never rained, but still a good time was had by all.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
How many times have we berated ourselves and called ourselves dumb, foolish, maybe even ugly or stupid. If we think about it, that is not what God says about us! We can get so critical of ourselves and forget we are a creation of God, and it is what He says of us that is truth. Speaking negatively about ourselves is not the same as humility for we are really failing to be grateful for how God has made and gifted us.

I read an article by Rick Renner who described himself as very hyper-critical, that is …until one day he heard the Holy Spirit speak to him and said, ‘How dare you continually talk so badly about yourself after the good work I’ve done inside you. Don’t you know how marvelously I created you to be in Jesus Christ? Quit speaking so negatively of yourself and start acknowledging every good thing that is in you.”

Isn’t that a word for all of us? Do we realize that every time we put ourselves down, we are bound by those negative words and fail to experience the blessings the Lord has for us. It took quite a while in my life to be able to thank the Lord for how He made me. After receiving teaching from the Word on accepting how God made me, I could finally one day thank Him that He made me just as I am. And now it is up to me to not to defame His handiwork but to give thanks. That doesn’t mean we don’t need to change some things in our lives, but as we see negative things, we ask the Lord for Him to work His change in us. Yes, He loves us in our stink, as Al often says, just as we are, but instead of negative complaining we can pray.
The prayer that Renner prayed, and we may need to pray it too:
“Lord, I know I have been speaking badly about myself. When I hear my own words, even I can tell it’s wrong for me to speak so lowly about myself. You have done a great work in me, and I have kept myself bound by the words of my mouth. Forgive me for speaking so wrongly and for allowing myself to remain imprisoned in self-defeat. I am truly repentant for these actions, and I ask You to forgive me and to give me that power to change my behavior. Holy Spirit, I can only do this by your power, so I am asking and expecting You to empower me to make these changes in my life and in my mouth! I pray this in Jesus’ name!”

Challenge for today: Ask the Lord to reveal any negative talk you tell yourself and speak His truth to your heart.                                                                                                                                                              Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy