Make Me Over
Gracious Heavenly Father, I come to you as humble as I know how to say Thank you. Thank you for creating me in your image. I know that you created me perfectly and with a purpose. Lord sometimes my flesh gets weak and go astray from who you have destined me to be. I ask that you continue to mold me into to person you created. I ask that you bring forth anything negative characteristics that I posses and create in me a new heart. Surround me with so much positive that the negative has no choice but to flee.
In Jesus name, Amen
What are your favorite characteristics you love about yourself? What are your least favorite characteristics you like about yourself?
I feel these are two very important questions. To grow, be successful and find true happiness, it starts with self. It’s easier to make a “pro” list about the qualification you love about yourself but it takes a strong individual to analyze the “cons” of your personality you tend to hide. The cons are the most important. We tend to already praise the good things about us but if we take time out to invest, critic, and change what we feel to be negative we will begin to see results of a well-rounded individual. I was talking to a close friend of my mine roughly a year ago and she asked me “when you are home alone, stripped of your make-up, looking in the mirror reflecting on your day, do you like the person you are today?” Of course, my initial answer was “Yes girl, I love who I am every day!” After a while, I began to break her question down. Do I like the person I am when I’m alone behind closed doors? Honestly, no. It’s easy to give off a false impression to others while smiling and laughing, but truth is, I was extremely stressed, depressed and was more negative than I’ve ever been. Behind closed doors I was angry, sad and hurt. I hated who I was when I was at home. I had to evaluate myself and figure out why I was possessing these characteristics. The easiest thing I could have done was to put the blame on my financial situation, my relationship, my job or other individuals. The hardest thing for me to do is to take ownership.
I will give thanks to you because I have been so amazingly and miraculously made. Your works are miraculous, and my soul is fully aware of this.
-Psalm 139:14 One night, I began to make a list of my negative qualities I had acquired over the years. Not only did I make a list of characteristics I didn’t like about myself, but I also included what Others have said about me. The one that stuck out the most was “You are not worthy”. This time, instead of making excuses, I chose to come up with a solution.
It doesn’t matter how many times you say other people’s opinions of you don’t matter deep down we secretly care. On this day I needed a change. I wanted to grow. I wanted to evolve. Once my list was completed I prayed over it. I knew God had already equipped me with the tools so I needed to seek his guidance. HE had to break me all the way down to rebuild me into that better person I desired to be. I fasted, cried, felt pain that was suppressed but I was changing. While focusing on the negative, it is also vital to focus on the positives. I believe in the “oreo effect” which is compliment, criticize, and compliment. As much as I focused on my flaws God reminded me of the great qualities i possessed. I also made a list of these to remind me that even on my worst days I am still smart, driven, passionate, caring, optimistic just to name a few. Sometimes in life you have to be your own prayer warrior, cheerleading and coach in order to build that relation with self. As time went on, I began to scratch things off my list of cons and add to my list of pros. I began to grow. I began to change. Because of God I am not the person I use to be. I am worthy. Today I challenge you today to evaluate yourself and make the need changes
“Count your blessing before weighing your burdens”
-Justin Gatlin