“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well” (Psalm 139:14).
All our days, we desire to be truly ‘known’. Well, actually, we desire for the best parts within us to be known. The REAL us deep down. The Jesus-follower life that we try to live. The one who thinks of others before ourselves, loves unconditionally, and is patient and selfless. The one we want to be all the time.
Though God’s Word tells us that we are miraculously and wonderfully made, the condemning voices of this world often scream quite the opposite.
While raising our four kids, I sincerely tried hard to be my best self, but let’s be real, the demands of motherhood often made it crazy town. Most often, I hit the ground running in the morning, only to finally stop at day’s end because I couldn’t do one…more…thing. When we’re that busy, it’s harder to be known for who we really are because some of our inner struggle seems to escape to the outside.
From the beginning of our parenting journey, my husband and I agreed that we wouldn’t say words that were demeaning or unkind in our home, even when we were extremely frustrated, because we knew that our words had life and death power….but what about our facial expressions?
Sadly, one time when I was at my wits’ end, my sweet young daughter in tears said to me, “Mom you have such a mean face!” How horrible is that?! In my anger I wasn’t saying unkind words: my face said it all. It wasn’t until she was an adult that I actually asked her forgiveness. Thankfully, she had no recollection of it (but I clearly did), and I never should have waited so long for healing with her because I had carried that painful memory with me for a long time.
Though I no longer have little ones at home stretching me through life’s tensions to be the best that Jesus has called me to be, life on this earth continues to bring me stressful moments where I need to ask Jesus to help me love as he loved, with both my inside heart and my outward expression.
Jesus recently reminded me of who he says I am when I was on a Target errand with my 7-year old grandson. As I was helping him buckle into the back seat, he looked at me and softly said, “Mimi, you’re so kind.” Those few words caught my breath. No one prompted him to say it. He spoke out of the love of his heart. And it was as if I heard the whisper of Jesus through my sweet grandchild telling me that HE sees the ‘real me’.
I am known.
Journal / Reflection Questions:
- Reflect on these Scripture verses:1 Corinthians 8:3 and 1 Corinthians 13:12.
- Because Jesus completely knows you, are there areas of your life – past or present – where you need him to speak the truth into the spirit of who you really are?
- Are there areas that still need healing? Could you be bold and courageous and go to someone to pray with you for that healing?
- Consider praying this prayer out loud: Dear Jesus, I want to be the person you actually created me to be, not by the world’s standard nor by the enemy’s accusations. Please free me from everything that’s not you and refill me with all of the fruits of your Holy Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control. Thank you, Lord. AMEN.
Kathy Morgan has been married to her best friend, Bob, for over 38 years. Together they have four grown, married children and 9 grandchildren. Kathy is a Hospital Chaplain and loves mentoring women, hosting ministry events in her home, prayer, cooking, reading historical Biblical fiction, and eating all forms of potatoes.