Is the Voice of the Accuser Telling You What You’re Not?

What do you think of when you hear the phrase, “conviction of sin and righteousness?”

Let me ask the same question another way. When those around you are telling you what you’re NOT (in their efforts to convict you of sin), where is their source of information? You’re not qualified enough. You’re not pretty enough. You’re not worthy. You’re not thin enough. You’re not smart enough. You’re not kind enough. You’re not enough for this relationship. You’re not (fill in the blank) enough.

In my journey as a believer, I always believed conviction of sin meant that we are constantly feeling guilty, always repenting and feeling shame for our sins. I think this came from the denomination I was raised in as shame was a large part of their training. However, I heard a message years ago that completely changed my perspective. Rather than focusing on shame and sin, the message was centered around the conviction of righteousness. All my shame-based training had no idea what this meant.

I’d like to propose the voice of not-enoughness is not coming from a source of truth, but the source of lies, from the father of all lies. But we struggle and give room for these words. When we hear these accusations they are like a deep dagger in our heart of self-worth.

Somehow, these phrases of not-enoughness have a tendency to be spiritualized and coupled with a conviction of sin. If we’re not enough in these areas then we must be sinning somewhere, right?

Maybe. Maybe not.

I think there is tremendous value in being attuned to the Holy Spirit when we are convicted of sin. This is truly a valuable resource to have as a believer. However, I don’t think it’s the same voice that tells us we’re not enough. I think the two often get confused. What if we stopped listening to the voice of not-enoughness and started opening our ears to the conviction of righteousness. This VOICE tells us what we are through the lens of Jesus Christ.

You are worth the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Rise to the place as a daughter of the King of Kings. Don’t let the word-slime affect your position of righteousness. You are more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus. You were made for more than this. You are the Lord’s delight and He sings over you. RISE UP my strong daughter and be who I say you are. Don’t listen to the voices that tell you what you’re not. Slough it off. Scrape off the filth of unworthiness. Embrace your beauty through the wisdom of God. He is trustworthy, full of grace and mercy. He didn’t ask you to be perfect. He asked you to be His.

THIS is the conviction of righteousness. What will you do to hear this voice more clearly?

One Way You're Reflecting God's Nature

One of the things I appreciate about social media is I get a chance to see the projects you’re working on. Whether you paint, sew, do crafts, take photos, dance, or whatever, I love seeing you thrive in doing the thing that recharges your soul.

I think when we’re in the mode of creating we are reflecting the creative side of God. After all, He is the creator of all things and we are like Him when we enjoy creating something. When I write I’d like to think I partner with the imaginative side of God so I can adequately express things that are on His heart.

Right now I’m participating in National Novel Writing Month. It’s a world-wide community that encourages each other to write 50,000 words in the month of November. That’s roughly 1,700 words each day. It’s been a few years since I’ve attempted this tremendous feat, but what I love about it is the daily prodding to keep tapping the creative side of my brain. Or in other words, I play with my imaginary friends that I’ve created in my head and write down their story. (If you’re curious, I’m sharing my progress on my Facebook page HERE). When I’m creating a story, I feel like I’m partnering with God because ultimately I’m telling His story woven through my words. For me, it’s a truly beautiful thing.

What project are you currently working on? Next time you’re working on it ask God how it’s reflecting His nature. Enjoy partnering with Him in expressing your creative side.

It's Important to be Known by Name

I have two amazing sisters. When we were kids people would often get us confused. It was not uncommon for me to be called by my sister’s names by those who “knew” us. Sometimes we were even collectively referred to as “the Gardner girls” (Gardner was my maiden name). The worst was when we had a family photo for the church directory and they didn’t even bother printing our names.

It has always been important to me to be known by my name.

Sure, I have an unusual name and it’s been pronounced and/or spelled as; Janice, Tennis, and the most recent horror, Tan-dis. Is this better than not being known at all? I think it’s about the same level of disconnect. Not long ago I attended a women’s group and stopped going after 5 months because no one knew my name, even after I went to great lengths to get to know other people.

I’m not here to be anonymous. I believe we have an innate sense to be seen, heard, and valued for OUR identity, not for who we’re associated with or what we’ve done.

There was a woman who got pregnant by her boss, then fired by his wife, and thrown out into the wild to survive on her own. She was destitute and alone, and yet, God saw her in her pain and spoke hope to her situation (you can read the story in Genesis 16). God saw her and He sees you.

Maybe you need to hear this today. YOU ARE SEEN, HEARD, AND VALUED.

You are not anonymous. God knows your name. He sees you. He hears you. Press into that truth today. You matter, dear friend.