In my personal reflections recently I have been taking a recap of my year so far. Just taking note of the areas I had purposed to change to bring improvements and significant progress towards my goals. Also tried to identify some strategies that I’d implemented but are not working as well and looking for other ideas that could work better.
What’s different?
I have always been a planner and so goal oriented my entire adult life. I have always had a to do list in my mind that enables me to strive towards my personal goals. The difference though this year I had purposed to show myself more grace and be okay with learning from more of my mistakes. I’d decided to value the journey more and not be to overly focused on the destination.
I am more focused now on drawing my identity from God and who He says I am and not from the world’s perspective of what achievements look like. I am beginning to appreciate the uniqueness of what I bring to any table and that God has a very specific and unique design for my life which may not blend with worldly expectations.
Having relocated from my home country to Australia a couple of years ago I learnt the importance of having a solid identity in God. This being a very multicultural society compared to where I was raised, there are so many societal expressions of what the norm looks like. Putting myself in a situation that is over my head like being in a different country has challenged and forced me to find who I am. Otherwise it would be so easy to be reshaped by the society.
Do the environments we’re in allow us to be a work in progress?
The year is still young and I realise I’ve made more than a fair share of mistakes. I’ve found myself in new challenging environments where I lack experience and I’ve had to accept that I’ll have to keep doing what am required to do and learn from mistakes as I progress. I am grateful to be in environments that allow me to be a work in progress and embrace the learning curve ideology.
I am praying that others also may be in similar environments where they are loved and accepted through their mistakes as they learn and grow. I pray also that we may give those around us grace when they make mistakes and allow them to grow from it. I know there some environments that want our finished product side and have no time for mistakes or patience to allow learning and growth. Being in such environments, as I’ve been before can be tough.
I have been blessed with some amazing friends who have loved and believed in me in the worst seasons. Those seasons that I had nothing to hold on to except God and my faith was diminished. In such times it was an encouragement to have people around who didn’t see me as per my present season but based on my identity in God and who He says I am. Looking at our seasons as momentary growth journeys that are leading us to be better versions of ourselves and reminding ourselves were God’s most prized possessions is key.
We are His workmanship
We are all unique in God’s eyes and all called to demonstrate a different aspect of His character. There are times we fail to see all that God has invested in us and all that He has created us to be. May we be around people who help us see ourselves the way God sees us. May we also help people to see themselves the way God sees them. May we be that voice of encouragement and affirmation that reminds others of their value and potential.
"For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."
(Ephesians Chapter 2, Verse 10)