The Lens of God

When I was younger the way people saw me impacted my life in a great way. I grew up with a self awareness based on what people (the world) saw me as. The surroundings in my growing years were not always ones of support and given in a positive way. In fact, many times, words directed towards me left me with feelings of never being good enough, stupid, filled with doubt, scared or ashamed of who I was. Just as Proverbs 18:21 puts it: “The tongue has the power of life and death.” During the teen years when we are discovering who we are and beginning to question important areas of our self worth, I was alone to navigate these waters. You may be thinking, well where were your parents, and I can assure you my parents and family were around but how and where I grew up was not necessarily the healthiest of environments. That testimony will be for another blog entirely and deals with healing our souls.

The words we speak and say during our lives have tremendous impact. We know that they have the power to build or destroy. I believe we can all remember a time when we did not feel good enough, smart enough, loved, beautiful or handsome. Additionally, we may have all felt a lack of worthiness or that we were not acceptable to be born for greatness. Now, before you go thinking this is a woe is me blog today, it is not. There is no spirit of self-pity in me because I have learned to see myself through the eyes of God and what He sees in me and what He says about me. And to help you also see the same, let’s take a look together about what the Word (His Word) says about how He sees each and everyone of us.

We learn from the Word, Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of you mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2)

This is what God says and He sees you with a renewed mind. God has good and pleasing plans for his children. Because he wants only what is best for us, and he gave his Son to make our new life possible. Right here, we can see that God is telling us not to conform to the world but be transformed. To do this we have an active part to push away what the world sees and says and begin to be transformed by the Word in our spirit as it heals us and shows us exactly what God sees in us.

I don’t know about you but do we find it hard to see ourselves as God sees us? Is there too much noise in the world for us to fully understand and receive the thought of how powerful His viewpoint is?

If we can replace our own beliefs with right beliefs based on God’s word then we can now embrace a powerful key in right believing or more so right seeing. To do this it will also require us to examine our viewpoint and take some action.

For myself, I have learned that the world way of seeing us can often lead us to a distorted view of who God truly made us to be. There is a battle in the flesh going on at all times. Its when we step into the viewpoint of God can we truly understand 1) How God sees his creation (you/us), and 2) How we are to view ourselves from God’s point of view. If you ask yourself this question, “How does God see me?” I wonder what your answer would be. Then when you compare your answers with the Word on what and how God sees, does it align?

Go, stand in front of a mirror and say the words, “God what do you see in me?” “Who do you say I am?” If you are hearing or seeing anything negative as you look, it is not from God.

So how can we begin to see ourselves from God’s point of view?

I was speaking with a Spiritual daughter and she was telling me of her journey in college. She is beginning her fourth year and she begins to tell me the direction in degree she was headed in she is now looking to make a shift. She is a talented artist with the heart to use art to help heal others. The gift God has placed in her is so beautiful and He has great purpose in it. She continues to tell me that she creates her art and had noticed she signs her art and had a moment of introspection and thought am I doing this more for me or for God? God bless her for discerning this question as we must take the time to ask ourselves because this is important in understanding how God sees us.

Now because I know her and I have seen her come from a place where she did not always see the value of how God sees her, I am attentive and cautious in the conversation because the world does come in and try to influence our thoughts with thoughts of - what are you doing your not good enough, what are you thinking this is not about God or your a loser you should do something else or various other types of doubtful thinking not from God. There is processing we must do in order to stand firm in how God sees us. There are doubts that will come and the only way to overcome is to know what the Word says and know the plans God has for us, which are good. You see what God sees is spiritual and it is seeing with your heart which helps lead you to begin to see with spiritual eyes.

In John 8:32 it reads, And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” ~Here is Jesus speaking to God’s true children and He himself is the truth that sets us free. He is the one who frees us from slavery to sin, from self-deception, and from deception by Satan. He shows us clearly the way to eternal life with God. Jesus, does not give us freedom to do what we want, but freedom to follow God. As we seek to serve God, Jesus‘ perfect truth frees us to be all that God meant us to be.

It is God’s word that reveals who we are and what we are not and it penetrates the core of our moral and spiritual life. It discerns what is in us both good and evil. The demands of God’s word requires decisions. We must not only listen to the word but we must also let is shape our lives. Hebrews 4:12 reads For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

Right here we know where the life is. We must stand firm knowing our Father in heaven clearly shows us you are not what they said you are, you are not your worst thought, and you are not your bad habits. BUT…….YOU ARE THE IMAGE OF GOD.

Think about that and let that sink in for a moment. YOU ARE THE IMAGE OF GOD.

Our relationship with the Lord is a vital Key in unlocking our Identity and how God sees us. There is a value system in it. A great love unfolds and we fully bloom into not only what God sees in us but His great purposes for us.

In the Book of James 1:22 (NLT) it reads, But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what is says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. And then further in verse 25 - But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.

The year 2020 has certainly placed many in a period where more thought has been given to our walk with God. The previous noises have quieted and thou an exposure in the land has raised a new volume, the introspection taking place is reshaping, reforming and bringing forth the seekers in truth.

As we continue into this year with our eyes fixed on what our heavenly Father sees in us let us take time and turn to him in moments of doubt, anxiety, defeating thoughts and loss and seek Him with a simple question of: God how do you see me? From the moment God created us in His image there was a value system established. You are valuable to Him. God sees you as beautiful, handsome, loved, important, relevant, cared for, watched over, kind, truthful, strong, courageous, brave, have good ideas and thoughts, and a Child of God.

Here are some verses to study and meditate on. The Bible is filled with scriptures and I pray as you read through them that God will begin to reveal what He sees in you and about you.

The Apostle Paul says in Philippians 4:8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Verses for Meditation on How God See Us

John 3:16-17 ESV - “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

1John 3:1 ESV - See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

Matthew 5:15 ESV - “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.”

Psalm 138:8 ESV - The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.

Jeremiah 29:11 ESV - For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give e you a future and a hope.

Ephesians 2:10 ESV - For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Here is a list for you to look up and study further:

Romans 8:1

Romans 15:13

2 Corinthians 5:17

1 Peter 2:9

Romas 8:38-39

1 Corinthians 3:16

Ephesians 1:4-5

Psalm 33:18