Y’all, it is way to easy to get disoriented in daily life (or rather the daily grind?). I mean, there is so much to process and so much to do…after awhile it just feels plain overwhelming. Not to mention all the chaos surrounding us. Sifting through our current situations and responsibilities, it’s no wonder we often turn on ourselves. We paint an image of who we are…and usually an ugly one. The guilt, the pain, the failure, yada yada….
So What About It?
Pope St. John Paul II said this,
We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures: we are the sum of the Father’s love for us and our real capacity to become the image of His son.
Pope St. John Paul II
WOW. Soak that in, Mama…
“We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures”
Hallelujah! I know I’m not the only one rejoicing. Cause, man…I’ve got a lot of failures and faults in me. And weak…yes…at times I am. How often do we feel this way though? I know I do frequently. Praise God that it is not so! I’m guessing that if St. John Paul II said it, he must have experienced it in his own life. This holy man knew what it was like to hear those internal self-criticisms. The thing is, it’s not God. That’s the devil…
“We are the sum of the Father’s love for us”
How beautiful is THAT!?! The more I ponder it, the more gratitude I feel. We already know that God is love and therefore He loves perfectly. To know that our value comes directly from our being His children is profound. The God who designed you, created you, chose you, wanted you, and loves you…HE LOVES YOU. That is your worth. You are LOVED!
I just keep picturing a typical father. Like my husband for instance…maybe the kids drive him absolutely nuts at times, maybe they’re naughty, or just wonderful…But no matter what kind of moment they are in or emotion they all feel, he just loves them to the core. He’s not overly cuddly and gushy. Not at all. But he would do ANYTHING for his children and their behavior does not alter the love that he holds in his heart for each one. Thinking of God in that light and knowing that God has an even stronger, more generous love…that puts it into perspective even more for me.
“And our real capacity to become the image of His son.”
This part feels more like a calling to me than anything else. We have such value, because we were created by The Almighty God. And we also have the ability to become wholly good. I’m not really feeling like I’m fitting that image. In fact, a lot of the time, I know I don’t. At best the image feels distorted.
Obviously, we are capable of becoming the image of Jesus for others. We are called to holiness and though at times it feels unattainable for us, it is indeed our purpose and should be our passion in this life.
I believe it would serve us well to ponder how we can become the image of Jesus Christ in our world.
What would that look like in your life? In your community? Your home? Your family? It’s definitely worth pondering.
Let’s make that our prayer this week. More specifically, how we can become the image of Jesus in our own home.
Lord, fill us with your love and mercy. Help us to become more like you. Teach us to serve and love our families as you do. Amen.
You are SO loved…
Go share that love with those you encounter. Until next time, keep doing your thing, Mama! God bless you.
If you’re in need of prayer, please contact me with this form or at mary@momrevival.com. I would love to pray for you and I will also put your intention on our site for all readers to pray for you as well.
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