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Seeing Myself through my Eyes or through God’s Eyes?

October 2, 2009 By Jean Wise

Last Monday’s post about feeling shocked, awkward and embarrassed after watching myself in home movies struck a cord with many readers. Comments, emails and twitter responses flew in.

“I can most certainly identify with your horror at seeing yourself in your vacation movies. I am very disappointed in me – and I’m sure God is disappointed in the way I have taken care of the body He bestowed on me.”

“Our church broadcasts our services on local access channel – I cannot bear to watch myself.

“Why do you think I have a yahoo avatar instead of a photo of the genuine me????”

So I have been pondering this all week.

I wonder if this is truer for women than men.
What is it inside of so many of us that cause this lack of self acceptance?
What does this say about how we deeply feel about our self worth?
Why can’t I accept who I see in the mirror and love her?

I work with stained glass as a hobby. In my garage workshop, I have bits and pieces of broken, shattered glass. Some have sharp, irregular edges, some are quite small, and many have collected dirt and smudges.

Yet when I put all the pieces together in a mosaic or stained glass piece, even the worst looking, small insignificant piece has a role in the final work of art.

I think the lesson God wants me to learn in this jarring realization of how I appear to others was to quit looking at myself through human eyes. I am a work in progress – a shattered, smudged, sharped edged piece of fragile glass. Yet in the hands of the Master Artist, the end result, as seen through His eyes, is beautiful.

God understand how we feel and holds us in his grace-filled hands.
God forgives us when we blatantly abuse or ungratefully criticize our lives – a gift from him.
God loves us without hesitation – no matter what we look like, what we say or how we act.
He loves us!

His eyes only see the end product – his masterpiece.

Genesis 1:26-27 says we are made in His image, the very image of God. Psalm 139:13-16 says we are fearfully and wonderfully made, and all the days of our lives were written in God’s book before we were ever born, confirming God’s prior knowledge and plan for our lives. Ephesians 1:4 says God chose His children before the foundations of the earth were ever formed.

It’s not about feelings, it is about faith.
It’s not about what I see, but what God sees.
It’s not about me, it is about God.

When God does something, it is a masterpiece! We are God’s masterpiece.

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Filed Under: spiritual lessons

Comments

  1. blankClella says

    October 4, 2009 at 12:44 am

    Oh JEAN EXCELLENT FOLLOW-UP. I know what you say is so true, but sometimes we dwell on our own weaknesses, particularly when it is physical and so obvious. Love your insight.

  2. blankMelinda says

    October 3, 2009 at 6:28 pm

    Lovely post, Jeanie. I’m working on the subject of “Uniqueness” for a group of middle school girls (a Bible Study) and I’ve been spoken to by God myself about accepting myself — even the parts I’d rather change — because they are part of how He made me in order to fulfill my destiny. Yes, there’s always things He WANTS to change in us, but He’s a gentle Potter. Patient and kind … much more patient than I am with myself! ;0)

    We must talk again soon!

Healthy Spirituality – a sacred space to nurture your faith, grow closer to God, and belong to a community, walking together on life’s journey. This blog is written by author, speaker and retreat leader Jean Wise

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