Though my daughter is not biologically mine, she is so much like me it’s scary. As I watch her grow up, I’m reminded of my own childhood. Like my daughter, I was a worrisome child. I learned early in life how to keep it hidden. I would bottle my thoughts and emotions to present a more pleasing façade. Unfortunately, I would eventually blow up over the simplest issue, leaving my family confused as to what the real problem was. I had little to no coping mechanisms and never quite learned how to deal with my actual problems aside from hiding them until I was older. What I didn’t know back then was there’s a purpose for the feelings and emotions God suited me with. God made me the way that I am for a reason. No. I’m not saying God created me to be a worry-wart. Just the opposite. He fitted me with raw feelings, emotions, and the ability to sense and (almost) physically feel the pain of someone else. In hindsight, those things have proven to make me a better author (as I can verbalize what others may be feeling but can’t explain), helps me be a better leader and preacher (I’m able to see beyond the façade and get to the heart of the matter), it helps me be a better shepherd to the flock God has entrusted me with and others (as I can empathize with the hurting and help guide them through their battles), and so much more. What seemed like a curse during certain seasons of my life was a blessing in disguise.
It’s easy to focus on how bad certain aspects of our life are. But have we ever stopped to consider, what seems like our greatest curse, a thorn in our side, may actually be our greatest blessing? Colossians 1:16 states, “For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.” As believers, our lives are not our own. We are His masterpiece and God was purposeful when he formed us. God allows our emotions to be present in our lives because He has a plan for it. As our scripture above reminds us—ALL things have been created through Him. But most importantly, they’ve been created FOR him. The enemy likes to use our minds as a playground, planting seeds of doubt about every aspect of our lives. But God is purposeful. We are His creation and made for a specific purpose. Shift your focus today. Find your purpose in Him. What seems like our greatest curse may be a gift from God. A gift that has purpose for the kingdom. That, my friends, makes you valuable in the sight of God.
Closing remarks and encouragement: God doesn’t make mistakes. It’s important we learn how to flip the script— to funnel those things we see as negative and find the positive value for kingdom purposes. Evict the enemy from your mind and sign the deed of your heart over to the Creator today.
Have a blessed week, my friends!