God Sees Me

Funnel cakes, Ferris wheels, stuffed animal prizes, and mini-racing cars – all fun and precious childhood memories at the carnival, state fairs, festivals!

Arkansans call carnivals festivals and they have large roller coasters at these “festivities”. Ma’am that’s a State Fair (in my very Jersey/Brooklyn voice).

Back to the point….

Whatever we call them, they are places filled with the contagious laughs of children having a blast! Stilted men and women selling balloons, the pretty woman making little girls see their beauty for the first time with colorful and unique face painting, and that scary lady reading adults palms (you know you can just pray about it).

But, one of the most fascinating carnival adventures is the House of Mirrors. It’s a space filled with imagination and surprise around every corner.

Tall me
Skinny me
Very wiggly me
“I don’t know what kind of mirror this is!” Me  

As a child, the different views are exciting and invigorating – pure fun mixed with a little bit of the scary-es.

As an adult, we can experience the same mirrored illusions in life, around every corner something or someone attempts to shape how we see ourselves. Depending on the spaces we are in – we become a disillusioned, watered-down version of ourselves.

And if we see our unique design, such as how our mind functions, ADHD, clinical depression, general anxiety disorder, bi-polar, we live with the mask of shame. Distorting to the mirrored projections of how others must see us to feel accepted and affirmed.

Pretending to be “normal”
Never expressing how we really feel

Making up excuses for our behaviors…

Saying “I can’t make it tonight something came up” instead of “I am experiencing really high anxiety today and need some quiet time at home to reset”

Easier said than done, especially when the common response is, “God does not give us the spirit of fear”, or worst “Get Over it” All from people that have never experienced the crippling effect of generalized anxiety disorder.

But, we rest assured that God’s designed us, and therefore He sees us just the way He designed. What others see as a flaw in the design, the Master Architect sees as the super powers of creativity, discernment, pattern-thinking, and risk adverse woman that can “do all things” in His power.

He sees us.
He lives in us.
He gets the final say…

Who we are is not to be distorted by the mirrored projections of others. Every brain cell floating around in our heads, was uniquely designed.

Cell by cell, tissue by tissue, muscle by muscle, we are “fearfully and wonderfully made”.

The next time you are at an Arkansas festival (Haha) go inside the House of Mirror, and declare, I am who God says I am, even with my brain “spicy-ness”.

I am who He says I am, as David declared, “I praise you [God] because I am fearfully and wonderfully made”

Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:7

“The Lord does not look at the things people look at.
People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Prayer:

Father God,

Thank You for seeing me the way you fearfully and beautifully designed me!

Help me to discard the images I’ve made of myself in my mind to accept the fact that I am made in your Image!

Teach me to see myself the way You see me - with the same grace, compassion, and unique design.

I am Yours.
I am seen.
I am still becoming. Gracefully yours!

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.