Made to be Me

We have walked along the path of Jesus’ parables found in Luke 15 to explore some of the precious aspects of God´s Grace. We have particularly paid attention to the fact that we, the children of the Most High, inevitably, once in a while, get lost along the way. We have also seen how that is no reason to fret because our Heavenly Father is always on the lookout and never loses sight of us...even if often He has to go after us, to bring us back home. Then, we´ve witnessed how after such incidents, there is always a good time of celebration and rejoicing.

This series has brought great joy to my heart because it has reminded me that God´s Grace is wrapped in infinitive love and forgiveness. The journey has also taken me into a closer look at my own life history, at my own family drama, at my own old wounds. It has been a time of discovery. As I have revisited melancholic and painful events of my past, I have opened my eyes to the fact that I still harbor resentment which I have yet to place into the scarred hands of My Savior. I have discovered that I still need to forgive. I have discovered that I still have to extend much grace to others, as well as I have discovered that I still need to be forgiven…mainly by myself.

I have been carrying the burden of unforgiveness for far too long. And I am exhausted. I have not extended grace to others. I have not extended grace to myself. I have been too harsh to those I´ve perceived as my offenders. I have been too harsh on myself. I have found inadequacies on my loved ones. I have felt completely inadequate myself. I walk around most of the time feeling like a failure and a fraud…and I´m tired of it. I am no more a failure or a fraud as I am a human being…a child of God, wonderfully designed and carefully made…placed on this earth for a purpose which securely rests upon the hands of My Maker.

My younger son Dylan reminded me of this fact the other day. As it happened, I was yelling at him…again…about something so important that I can´t even remember what it was. When I came to my senses and realized I had completely overreacted…again…embarrassed and morally bankrupt, I apologized to him. Then, Dylan totally surprised me by saying, with a big smile on his face: “Don´t worry, mama, that´s what makes you, you…”

I admit that the affirmation convicted me, but also cheered me up. The terms of conviction are obvious even to the most casual of observers. Grace showed me the reason to rejoice on that statement.

I am who I am…there is no other way to go about it. But He not only made me to be me, but He lives in me so the version of me that survives is the one governed by Him. There is a reason why He made me the way He did. He doesn´t make mistakes…or makes no junk! So I reject the enemy´s plot that tries to humiliate me and guilt me into walking away from My Lord only because I feel unworthy. Of course I am unworthy! My worth is not on who I am, but on The Great I AM! My identity is in Christ, and my purpose is God´s plan. I am a Child of the Maker of Heaven and Earth. I am His heiress. I am His daughter, and He loves me, just as I am.

So yes, my flaws, failures, aloofness, short temper, impatience, selfishness, passion, craziness, etc., etc., etc., make me, me…and that´s all I have to be…because that´s who He made me to be. I don´t have to compare myself to anyone else. I don´t have to feel bad because I don´t measure up to this world´s standards. I just have to concentrate on being the best version of me I can be…empowered by His Spirit who dwells in my soul. The rest, Grace covers it all.