burn & shine

I read a quote the other day that resonated with my heart and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it.  When that happens it's a safe bet that it will eventually be lettered and hung on my wall for me to see often.  Sometimes these little quick sketches turn into the artwork I offer in my shop!


"Does the sun ask itself, 'Am I good? Am I worthwhile? Is there enough of me?' No. It burns and shines. Does the sun ask itself, 'What does the moon think of me? How does Mars feel about me today?' No, it burns and it shines. 'Am I as big as suns in the other galaxies?' No, it burns, it shines."
- Andrea Dworkin

The day that I read that happened to be a day (one of many) that I was in a funk of comparison.  A day of struggling to view myself through the lens of the Gospel.  Sometimes the other lenses I see through are called Not Measuring Up, Never Enough, and the popular Their Opinions Matter.  If I am not very careful and diligent it is easy for me to forget what the Gospel says is true of me and start to only care what the world (or let's be honest - what that one particular person at any given time) thinks about me and my character/worth/____fill in the blank____. After a day or so of unchecked thoughts and laziness in the Taking Every Thought Captive Department my mind can become a veritable landfill of garbage and suddenly I have no worth and everyone hates me and so on and so forth. UTTER GARBAGE.

Maybe you sometimes struggle too?

Here's some truth for us:

-In Christ, we are a new creation.

-Our security and significance are found in Him alone.

-He is working everything for our GOOD and He will complete the GOOD work that He has started.

-ANYONE'S opinion of us (for good or bad) is insignificant - we are the beloved bride of Christ - children of the Most High King - and NOTHING can separate us from His love...least of all the opinion of man.

-We are all in this together!

So, friends, let's remind ourselves and each other often of the TRUTH, and let's keep growing together.

I'm putting on the lens called Work in Progress - the one that helps me preach the Gospel to myself daily and reminds me that I am NOT perfect, but He is perfecting me, and what He says about me is all that matters.  I'm praying that for you, too.

Let's take our cue from the sun and just burn and shine.