Maneuvers - No. 104
You’re a Light
in This World
Friend, do you ever wish you were someone else?
Or wish you had different talents, strengths, weaknesses, or desires?
We (Jennifer and Justin) have certainly felt that way. But the more we let God show us his heart for us and this world we live in, the more confident we become in how he created us.
Because the truth is, our King took time to intricately design each one of us—with all our propensities and dreams and abilities.
None of us is a mistake. You, friend, are not a mistake.
It’s easy to listen to our culture today and think we have to measure up to its standard. This world has a way of making us feel like we’re not enough if we don’t look or act or think a certain way.
But there’s only one standard that matters—Jesus’. And he’s already chosen us, cleansed us, and filled us with himself.
Instead of fighting against (or wishing away) the things God has placed in our hearts, what if we partnered with Holy Spirit and the way he designed us to bring his love to this broken world? What kind of impact could we make simply by surrendering to that love?
Today, Holy Spirit is opening our eyes to what that would look like. Let’s listen:
01.
The Message
“In your hunger for more of me, your openness to surrender, pay attention to your desires. And what do I mean by desires? I mean what draws your time and energy, the things you’ve loved to do since you were young—and the desires that have surfaced in you after decades of living.
“Pay attention to these propensities you have to build, rest, create, and serve. Do not minimize them, as they point to your talents, the abilities I have placed in you—although you have yet to discover some talents. And do not assume that your desires are less beautiful, less significant, or less impactful than those of another person. I created you with a heart to love me—and the desires I give you (the ones that come from me) are good. They help you engage with my heart for you. They help you to receive my love. They help you share my love for you—and this world—with others.
“Let me help you discern what desires are good—which ones come from me. Some desires are ones you should release. Some desires you should let go of. I will show you. I will make it clear.
“Remember this: I delight in you and how I made you. And when you recognize that your desires can be gifts from me, I activate a greater awareness of me in your life. These are the kinds of desires that are good.
“So your desires can be whispers from me about how to use the talents I’ve given you. They are opportunities to love me, to be most yourself, and to give me glory. You are a light in a world that is otherwise dark. So do not ignore what I have placed in your heart. And let me help you see the desires that will increase your awareness of my life in you.”
02.
Listen
What thoughts or feelings came to you while reading this FLAG Message? Let’s set a timer for three minutes and write out a prayer to the Lord in response.
03.
Think
“I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; you know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something” (Psalm 139:14-15, MSG).
1. What past experiences have taught you that you (or certain parts of you) aren’t enough?
2. Where do you long to see God love and serve others through you? In what ways do you want to experience more of him?
04.
Trust
David understood how amazing it was that God created him. He wrote an entire psalm describing the precious detail God put into designing and knowing and loving him. So let’s pull out our Bibles and read Psalm 139 right now. (If you have time, try reading it in multiple versions to get a better sense of the deep meaning behind this passage.)
After reading Psalm 139, let’s ask ourselves:
• Do I identify with David’s enthusiasm for how God created him?
• Can I relate to how loved and seen by God he feels?
• What parts of this psalm didn’t resonate with me and why?
Sometimes it’s hard to fully appreciate how God made us. After all, we live in a broken world. And even though we’re new creations in Christ if we’ve put our faith in him, we still experience the effects of sin, temptation, and brokenness.
But if we only focus on the parts of ourselves that we wish we could change, we’ll lose sight of how God wants to lead us and use us—right here, right now.
So let’s take a moment and worship God for how he made us. After pulling out a journal and a pen, why don’t we close our eyes, breathe deeply, and focus on the fact that Jesus is with us right now?
In our journals, let’s write down our answers to the following questions:
1. What did I love doing as a child? What do I still love doing now?
2. What are my favorite ways to rest?
3. How do I tend to build and create? What part of that process captures my attention most?
4. What are my favorite ways to serve others? What things do I naturally do that make people feel loved, seen, and heard?
5. How does God want to reveal his love in a unique way through these talents and abilities?
6. What old dreams are still in my heart? What new desires do I have?
7. Which of those desires reflect God’s heart and character? Which don’t? (Let’s get quiet before we answer this one to give Holy Spirit room to speak to us.)
Now, let’s close in a prayer of adoration.
05.
Pray
Father, thank you for creating me. You took your time designing every part of me—my body, my mind, my personality, my skills, and my dreams. You are the true Master Creator, and I worship you for how you’ve made me.
I surrender every part of me to you. I want everything in me and about me to bring you glory. Will you do that? Will you love through me and serve through me and give through me?
Show me which of my desires are from you and which aren’t. I hand them all over to you. I trust you to fulfill the ones you’ve given me at the right time.
My life is yours, God. All of me—all my love, all my devotion, all my praise—it’s yours and yours alone.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
Waving the banner with you,
