I was telling Jody how terrible I felt for discouraging a friend the other day. I can't believe I would do that. I am awful! I told him how I am often disgusted with myself.
"You shouldn't be. You are great."
I wasn't expecting that. I was expecting him to be disappointed. He wasn't saying it was OK for me to go around putting people down... he was just loving me inspite of me.
A few years ago, I was on my way home from a day trip to Dallas, TX which was about 3 hours from where we lived. I pulled over at this lake/park that I had seen a few times when I’d driven through. It was just such a pretty day and I’d always been kind of drawn to this place and said one day I’ll stop. I made it a point that day. There’s something about being surrounded by beauty that brings all the life in me to the surface. But, as I got out of my car and walked around the park I began thinking about all of the undesirable things that were in my life. It’s like beauty was challenging me to get rid of the ugliness inside.
Earlier that week our pastor had challenged us to ask God what He saw when He looked at us. I thought it was kind of a hokey question. But it was the only thing I could think of that would break the tension I was feeling. So I stopped and walked out onto the rocks and just sat down.
I didn’t expect much, but I asked God,
“What do You see when You look at me?”
I just thought He was going to say something like,
“I see you searching for me and keep it up!”
I was still wondering what the answer was when this phrase popped in my mind.
“I see the best.”
I was kind of in shock and giddy. That was not my thought. It was totally how God chose to answer me. He sees the best in me. That’s what He looks at. That’s all He can look at. He won’t look at my sin. He said He sees the best in me!!! He sees the best in you! Let’s do a round of cartwheels! When he looks at us he sees the best!
LC
"You shouldn't be. You are great."
I wasn't expecting that. I was expecting him to be disappointed. He wasn't saying it was OK for me to go around putting people down... he was just loving me inspite of me.
A few years ago, I was on my way home from a day trip to Dallas, TX which was about 3 hours from where we lived. I pulled over at this lake/park that I had seen a few times when I’d driven through. It was just such a pretty day and I’d always been kind of drawn to this place and said one day I’ll stop. I made it a point that day. There’s something about being surrounded by beauty that brings all the life in me to the surface. But, as I got out of my car and walked around the park I began thinking about all of the undesirable things that were in my life. It’s like beauty was challenging me to get rid of the ugliness inside.
Earlier that week our pastor had challenged us to ask God what He saw when He looked at us. I thought it was kind of a hokey question. But it was the only thing I could think of that would break the tension I was feeling. So I stopped and walked out onto the rocks and just sat down.
I didn’t expect much, but I asked God,
“What do You see when You look at me?”
I just thought He was going to say something like,
“I see you searching for me and keep it up!”
I was still wondering what the answer was when this phrase popped in my mind.
“I see the best.”
I was kind of in shock and giddy. That was not my thought. It was totally how God chose to answer me. He sees the best in me. That’s what He looks at. That’s all He can look at. He won’t look at my sin. He said He sees the best in me!!! He sees the best in you! Let’s do a round of cartwheels! When he looks at us he sees the best!
LC
