We Only Matter If…..

I set a goal at the start of this year to read more.
I absolutely love reading, but sometimes there are so many other distractions that reading falls to the bottom of the to-do list!

But I am determined to read more of the 100’s of books I have just waiting to be read!

One of the books I am devouring at the moment is “Scary Close” by Donald Miller. He has become one of my favourite authors after we stumbled across his book “A Million Miles in a Thousand Years” in Book Club……it literally changed my life story and the way I share it.

Anyway back to Scary Close. I am loving it and making so many notes along the way (Phil underlines his books, but I can’t bare to ruin my book so I make notes in a separate notebook!) One line that hit me this week was

“Many of us buy into a lie that we only matter if……”

We only matter if we are smart, if we are beautiful, if we are strong or whatever it is. We only matter if….
And as I do, I got to thinking…..What is my If?

If I am cool enough?
If I am smart enough?
If I am good enough?
If I am Christian enough?
If I am worthy enough?

The list could go on and on (and on!)
What would be on your list? C’mon be honest, we all have things and mindsets that tell us we only matter if….or we would matter more if….

But at the end of the day, I am learning that I am enough! No matter what the world would scream at me, I am enough. Full stop. No ifs, buts, or when’s. I am enough.

As I was sitting here trying to convince myself that I really do matter, I did some research and found these scriptures:

2 Corinthians 12:9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

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

Isaiah 43:4 Others were given in exchange for you. I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you.

1 Peter 2:9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

Wow! Who I am to argue with God’s word? I matter, and so my friend, do you.

There are no if’s for any of us, and we need to stop buying into the lies of the enemy. We are all loved just as we are. We are all important and we all matter.

So my challenge for you this week is to remove the “if’s” from your life and live freely in who God has called you to be! Go on, I know it will be hard, but I know you can do it!