By Judy Villanueva

Psalm 13:14-17
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well.

My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes beheld my unformed substance.
 In your book were written
 all the days that were formed for me,
when none of them as yet existed.

How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God!
 How vast is the sum of them!

Do you ever feel like you are not enough? Or, wish that you were a little more like so-and-so? More talkative, less talkative, smarter, wiser, more type A, more type “chill”, more sensitive, less sensitive, more articulate, creative, productive…just plain more or just plain different? I had dinner this week with a new friend who is extraordinarily talented. I was literally in awe of her energy, creativity, and many accomplishments. In all sincerity I found myself sort of gawking at her in amazement and admiration. Later that evening, however, I noticed that something else had crept up on me…self-doubt, an interior voice with a question. Is who I am and how I am ok?” I felt flawed and somehow not what I should be…

I think this is where the enemy of God works his hardest! If God’s children will start to doubt who they are…even though each one of us is a divine inspiration, unique, and cherished…then, the rip-off can take root. Self-doubt enters the mind and rather than trusting God with who we are and agreeing that all His works are wonderful, we live life wishing we were someone else. We miss out on getting to be who God made us to be and experiencing His glory uniquely poured out through exactly our life! Self-doubt and self-rejection turn our eyes inward and not only skew our view of ourselves, but sadly hinder our freedom to enjoy the uniqueness of others as well.

What a contrast to what the Psalmist sings, “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well” !!! Once I recognized this old familiar voice, I opened the Word to these verses. I read them over and over…and with each reading my heart lightened and soon they were my words, my song of praise. I was able to make peace with who I am not and rejoice in who I am, trusting that a wise God made me just the way I am…intricately woven in secret, always beheld by the Almighty even before I looked like me, all my days written in His book, and His thoughts of me… too many to count!

“Lord God, you are wonderful! That you think of me and see me all the time, that you love me and always know me every, every minute…astounds me and makes me cry the heartfelt kind of tears. I am so grateful for You! Because of You, I can say that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I love you! Amen.”

What about you?

How do you feel about yourself? Do you compare yourself with others?

Are you free to be you? Maybe imperfect, but uniquely and wonderfully you?

Do you need reminding today that you are fearfully and wonderfully made? That you are on God’s mind and in His heart?