Encouragement – Page 30 – The Will to Wake Up

The Secret to Living a Satisfied Life

Do you feel satisfied with your life? Here is the key to making your life better.

Be honest with me (or really, with yourself)– Are you satisfied with your life right now?

If you said yes, then good for you!

But if not, and I’m guessing most of you aren’t completely satisfied with your life, then you are in good company. According to the World Happiness Report, “the pandemic’s toll on negative emotions is clear”. Many people in the world are very unhappy these days. Perhaps it’s due to searching for employment, struggling to be in good health, or just a genuine feeling of discouragement. Whatever is causing this your discontentment, I hope to bring you some encouragement.

Have you ever re-tried a food from your childhood and realized it didn’t taste anything like what you remembered? When I was a kid, I loved the white cheddar puff snack called Pirate’s Booty. (I still remember joking about the name with my friends). Years later, I tried the Trader Joe’s version of this snack, called more professionally “White Cheddar Puffs”. And let me tell you– there’s no going back. I tried Pirate’s Booty again and there wasn’t even a competition. While I could (confession time!) devour a bag of Trader Joe’s snack in a day or two, it took me weeks before the Pirate’s Booty was consumed. Once we know what’s better, there’s no going back, right? We only want the really good stuff.

A lot of times we tell ourselves that once we have ____, then we’ll be satisfied. Maybe you fill in the blank with being in a relationship, feeling represented, not falling into the same temptations, etc. Those things have deeper roots: love, justice, wisdom, joy. Love and justice are particularly longed for these days. And those are all good things, great things in fact. Things that are necessary for our lives.

But I stumbled upon this verse the other day that stopped me in my tracks.

But you must return to your God;
maintain love and justice,
and wait for your God always.
Hosea 12:6

Before we can have love and justice, and pretty much any other necessary aspect of life, we need God first. Until we seek God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, we will not feel content with our lives. We’ve been taught that it’s wrong to ache for something greater, but that’s just natural. Listen to that ache, and instead of turning to something temporary, turn to God. God is the only One who can fill that empty place in our lives.

I’ll let you in on a little secret. Once you get that job, relationship, or whatever it is you currently desire, you aren’t going to feel content. You will just move on to the next need. Nothing on Earth can truly satisfy us. But when you place your entire life into God’s hands, no matter what you are going through, you won’t lack anything. And the best part of it is that we can turn to God at any time! We don’t have to wait for someone to approve of us or for the world to reform. God is ready and willing to love you right now. He already does. All He’s waiting for is you to accept His call.

And when you place God at the center of your life instead of worldly goals, there’s no going back. You won’t even want to go back, because you will finally feel that contentment and peace your heart’s been longing for. You know, the really good stuff.

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
Matthew 22:37

The Empty Tomb

Happy Easter! He is risen!

Easter is the biggest holiday in the church calendar for many reasons. Our best reason to celebrate is that we are saved through Jesus’ sacrifice. Jesus rising from the dead proved that He is holy and our Savior. Easter is a time for joyous delight.

But what if Easter doesn’t feel joyful this year? What if being stuck at home, living in a world of uncertainty, causes you to feel anything but celebratory today? Does that make you any less of a believer?

Absolutely not.

If you think about it, the women walking up to Jesus’ tomb likely weren’t joyful. They expected to find Jesus’ body in the tomb and be faced with the undeniable truth that their loved one was gone forever. They were full of grief, loneliness, and disappointment. They felt empty inside. They weren’t ashamed to bring their emptiness to Jesus as they approached His tomb.

But imagine their surprise when they were greeted with an empty tomb and an angel telling them unbelievable news! Jesus left an empty tomb behind so that He can fill the emptiness in our hearts. They traded all the feelings that come with emptiness–the grief, sadness, and uncertainty–and were filled with joy that only Jesus can bring.

You may not have all your questions answered today. But you can be filled with the joy that Jesus brings. Trade in your emptiness for Jesus’ love. Joy looks different in every season, but that doesn’t make it any less meaningful or hopeful. Joy is allowing Jesus to make you feel peaceful and hopeful despite all you are going through.

Allow yourself to proclaim “He is risen!” with full confidence that by God’s grace, you have been saved.

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. ²And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. ⁵And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? ⁶He is not here, but has risen.
Luke 24:1-6

Holy Week Series: The Pain of Humiliation

How can we learn from Jesus’ example when experiencing humiliating situations?

Today is Good Friday, when Jesus was mocked, flogged, and ultimately killed, events that we should all agree are anything but “good”. There are so many points I could share in this post about Good Friday, but what I’ll focus on today will be the utter humiliation Jesus had to experience before being crucified.

In a study by Psychology Today, they found that when you’re humiliated, “the degree to which your brain is activated is more pronounced than with other emotion-inducing conditions”. I often wonder how much physical pain we’d be willing to endure in order to avoid humiliation. Often during studies of Good Friday, there’s a lot of focus on the physical torturing Jesus experienced. And He went through so many things that no one should experience, not to mention the Son of God! He was flogged, had a crown of thorns put on His head, was struck on the head with a wooden staff, forced to carry a cross that was estimated to have weighed over 300 pounds, hung on a cross with nails pierced into His flesh, and later stabbed in the side with a sword. Even experiencing one of those things would be traumatizing and incredibly painful, yet Jesus endured them all.

But you know what might have hurt even more? Being the most powerful Being in the entire universe, being the Creator of us all, and being spit on, mocked at, striped of clothes, and ultimately feeling the weight of people’s unbelief in who He really is. He died because He is our King, our Messiah. It was out of the “self-interest” or “envy” of His betrayers that He was killed (Matt. 27:18).

And if you think about it, that’s why humiliation exists, huh? If we are envious of someone, we are tempted to put them down in order to feel better about ourselves. Sometimes when we hurt others by humiliating them, it’s because we are putting our needs above theirs. We’d rather get things done quickly, so we don’t phrase things the right way and it stings. We’d rather not deal with the messiness of Christ-centered relationships, so we just dump people. We’d rather think we know everything than admit that someone else is right.

On the flip side, when we are being humiliated, it’s easy for us to get upset at God or others. We don’t believe we deserve the humiliation (and we don’t when others intentionally humiliate us). But still, we can find strength to endure the times when we are humbled through seeing how Jesus responded to being humiliated. And let’s be honest, I highly doubt (and I certainly hope) that any of us will go through what Jesus went through.

Yet, through it all, Jesus was:

Self-controlled

Like He told His disciples, He could’ve sent a legion of angels there to defend Him. He had the power to destroy everyone in a single second. He could’ve revealed the deepest, darkest secrets of the people mocking Him. We might be tempted to take revenge against those who humiliate us, but instead we should follow His example and use self-control.

Silent

Now, I’m not telling you to suffer in silence if someone is hurting you. Please speak up if you are in a bad situation so that you can be helped.

However, if you are in a humbling situation, instead of getting all upset and egging on the people who are humiliating you, try Jesus’ approach of being quiet. Allow yourself to be filled with God’s love and peace instead of anger and discouragement.

Living out “Thy will be done”

Right before Jesus was arrested, He told His Father that while He would rather not suffer through all these painful things, He wanted God’s will to be done. We often pray that same prayer, yet how often do we actually believe it? Aren’t we easily swayed by our own timetables and frustrated when things don’t happen when or how we want them to?

Instead of being fixated on your plan, turn your eyes and heart to God’s plan for your life. Allow your prayer to be sincere and be open to what God wants you to do with your life.

A fact that may encourage you is that while being humiliated causes us to experience many difficult emotions, “the way you feel is a direct function of the way you think” (Psychology Today). Jesus was able to endure all those terrible things because He knew who He was (and is!). He’s Jesus, the One who will rise up again in three days, the One who will defeat the Enemy. When we remember who we are, when we find our worth in who God says we are rather than who the world defines us as, the affects of humiliation will be learning from our mistakes and solidifying who we are in Christ rather than pain, grief, or discouragement.

Today, thank Jesus for all the hardships He endured to save you. He loves you so much. When you are in humiliating situations, remember Jesus’ love for you and don’t take those harsh words of others to heart.

How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
Psalm 36:7

9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
1 John 4:9-10

Holy Week Series: When Jesus “Lets Us Down”

Beginning our Holy Week series, we will start off with asking the question, “How do we react when Jesus ‘lets us down’?”
Advice for your faith journey!

Last year, I posted several days leading up to Easter, and that really brought me closer to God, as well as it hopefully helped you all get prepared for our celebration of the biggest event in history! So I thought I’d do it again this year!

Starting off this year’s series, we’re going to talk about everyone’s least favorite person–Judas. Now, I know you might think you’ve got him figured out. He’s a greedy, scumbag sort of dude, right? That’s it, his story’s over, moving on to someone better…

But actually, he’s deeper than that and we owe it to ourselves to learn everything we can from the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

When I first read the Easter story in the Bible, I hated Judas. I think we all have some right to. After all, he did betray Jesus. He’s the one we all blame since he’s the one who saw all the miracles Jesus did, heard all the teachings, felt all the love…and yet still handed Him over to be brutally killed.

I used to think Judas did these things for a few silver coins, all out of greed. But actually, there’s a deeper reason behind Judas’ actions. He strongly opposed the Roman government, which many Jews at that time did, since the Romans took away their freedom and taxed them heavily, among other things. Many Jews expected the king God was sending down to be the new ruler who would overthrow the Roman Empire. Of course, we all know Jesus didn’t do that and instead had a much bigger plan. But this is what upset Judas and many others who shouted “Crucify Him” just a week after praising Jesus in Jerusalem.

Essentially, Judas betrayed Jesus because Jesus let him down. Jesus didn’t have the same plan as Judas, and instead of waiting to see what Jesus would do instead, Judas decided to get as much as he could out of Jesus and be done with Him.

How many times have we treated Jesus as some vending machine? We ask, beg and plead, and once He doesn’t give us what we demand, we stop worshiping Him. I’ve heard so many stories of how people stopped believing in Jesus once something tragic happened in their lives. Maybe a loved one died, a job was lost, or a new leader came into power who goes against their beliefs. How could God let this happen?

I don’t want to minimize your feelings of pain, grief, and disappointment. Crying, needing space, having doubts…that’s all normal and natural and does not deny your faith. The issues come when you abandon your relationship with God after your plans are altered. I want you to step back for a moment and think about all you might be missing out on by being stuck in your disappointment towards God “not coming through for you” instead of focusing on the bigger plan God has in store. God is the only One who knows everything and when you place your life in His hands, you will never be disappointed because you know that even if things don’t go according to your plan, God’s plan is greater and better than what we can imagine.

Now, maybe you’re feeling convicted of a past sin or with the realization that you have abandoned Jesus. Maybe you think it’s too late.

Well, I have some important news for you.

It’s never too late.

Jesus is waiting with open arms. Even when Judas came to the garden with the soldiers to arrest Jesus, He still called Judas “friend”. He still loved Judas even when He knew the evil Judas was doing. But when Judas felt guilty, he didn’t turn to Jesus. Instead, he allowed his guilt and shame to take over and he refused Jesus’ gift of salvation and forgiveness.

But your story doesn’t have to end that way. No, your story is going to be something bigger, better, and more beautiful. Your story already is beautiful because God is writing your story.

Today, think about whether or not you have abandoned Jesus. Remember how much He loves you. Remember how He’s provided for you all along. And most of all, thank Him for His extraordinary gift of unconditional love.

While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. ⁴⁸Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” ⁴⁹Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.⁵⁰Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.”
Matthew 26:47-50

When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. ⁴“I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”
Matthew 27:3-4

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.
1 Timothy 1:15

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8

When to Speak Truth

Do you struggle to know when to tell people a tough truth you’ve noticed about them?

I was talking to one of my friends today, and we both agreed that the thing that seems the most “taboo” these days is offending someone. We do everything we can to avoid it, even lying about important things.

Now, I am certainly not saying you should go out and say hurtful things to others. But I do think we should be more aware of when we compromise our values in favor of flattering someone rather than being honest. We must speak the truth in love, not in a way that is intentionally sharp or demeaning. When we are seeking to be more honest, we must ask ourselves these questions:

1. Why is saying this important?

Words are like weapons. They can protect, or they can destroy. We must use our words to build people up and to help them grow. If this piece of honest advice will help the person you care about, then tell them. If it will help them grow closer to God, then tell them. If this will change an unpleasant situation, tell them.

Really evaluate why you believe you should say this. That may motivate you to speak this truth if you were unsure. This may help you better word what you have to say. Or maybe if you’re saying it for the wrong reason, you can reevaluate what you need to do. But before making any decision, knowing why you are considering doing it is wise.

2. Am I saying this because I want to be honest and helpful or because I want to feel better about myself?

Now, the one place I have seen people blunt and loose-lipped is on social media. People have no issue yelling at each other and criticizing everyone who does one little thing wrong. The reason why this is hurtful and unproductive is because these words, while they may have a grain of truth to them, come from a place of self-righteousness, anger, and hate. Just like the old saying about bullies at school, hurt people hurt people.

So during that evaluation process of why you want to honestly tell someone something, think about if it’s coming from a place of love or a place of pride. Do you feel like you are better than this person? If you do, then what you have to say will likely not help them. But if you believe that you also have things you struggle with, but you’re just farther along on the faith journey, or you happen to have noticed something that could help someone, then you are doing this for the right reason.

3. Is this person already aware of this issue?

Now, I’ll admit I don’t like being corrected. During this time where God’s been teaching me a lot about humility, I’ve come to learn how to discern between constructive and destructive criticism. Then I’ve learned how to accept and grow from the constructive criticism.

But the thing I get so annoyed by is when I’m currently working on a weakness and someone comes up and informs me of that weakness. It’s like, yeah, couldn’t you tell I was working on it? And then I just feel even more discouraged.

Now, if you don’t realize that someone is working on that weakness, that’s one thing. But if you can tell that they are actively trying to improve as a person, then encourage them!

I hope these tips helped you. I know it can be so hard to speak the truth in love, but nothing good comes easy, right? Today, think about how you can better accept truth from people who care about you and want to help you. Also ask God if there’s anything you need to tell someone in your life to help them grow in their faith too.

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
1 John 1:8

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:15

The Beauty of Silence

How often do you find yourself so consumed by what you want to say, you have trouble listening to others? Here’s some advice!

We often underestimate how powerful our words can be.

I know a lot of people use that line to lead up to a “taming of the tongue” speech, but it’s so true. I’ve been reading through Proverbs (which by the way, if you want an overload of wisdom, go check it out) and there is so much advice about using our words wisely.

Our culture emphasizes saying as much as we can whenever we can. But that leads us to be too busy thinking about what we want to say that we don’t listen to anyone else. Being “quiet” is often undervalued. The quiet people are left on their own to observe life and may even be teased, when in reality, King Solomon in the Bible suggests that the people who use their words sparingly and wisely are the ones we should learn from.

The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered. Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues.
Proverbs 17:27-28

In a society where anyone can say anything, often via social media, we are encouraged to talk over each other and not really listen to what anyone else is saying. That’s why I’m so glad there’s been a recent push to listen to those who have been previously silenced. An old saying goes, it’s better to be a good listener than a good talker.

I’m sure, whether you enjoy talking or listening more, you have noticed how the outgoing, chatty people attract more friends. Hopefully you have a mix of multiple personalities within your friend group. Would you want to tell your deepest secret or confide your toughest feelings in the popular, talkative friend or in the friend who is a good listener?

Now, I’m not saying that popular, outgoing people can’t be good listeners. Sometimes the quiet people aren’t good listeners either, and are more in their own world. But what I mean is that we can all benefit from taking Solomon’s words to heart and treat each word like a valuable gift. If we use our words sparingly and with wisdom, then we will be less likely to gossip (which destroys friendships), say something in the heat of anger, or say something that offends someone.

If I still haven’t proved to you that being a good listener makes you a better person to be in relationship with, think about it this way. We all have that friend, you know the one, who talks for 90% of the conversation and asks you maybe one or two questions about your life. And while you’re answering, they cut in with their own example. You feel like you have to talk as fast as you can just to get a word in edgewise.

Sometimes I wonder if God feels like we do in that situation when we pray. We spend a chunk of our day simply talking to Him, which He loves, of course. But when do we give Him the chance to guide us? I guarantee what He has to say is more important than what we have to say.

But the best benefit of appreciating silence and learning how to listen is that it will help us be able to discern the voice of God. Our conversations with God are the most important we will ever have. And I use the word “conversation” because that’s what it needs to be– two-way!

I’ve shared here about my experiences with hearing from God, and I’ve noticed that when I am set on my own plans and busier, I have trouble knowing what God is telling me.

That’s why my challenge for you–and me!– this week is to take some intentional quiet time with God. No distractions, just you and God. And I bet that will open the door of communication between the two of you.

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,
James 1:19

If you would like to hear me read my blog posts and for additional encouragement, check out my new podcast!

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/hannah-chung4

Made in God’s Image

What keeps you from believing that you are fearfully and wonderfully made?

You are made in God’s image.

If you grew up in the church, you probably heard that phrase a lot. Following that, you’d hear at least verse 14 from Psalm 119, if not the entire chapter.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

Maybe that verse sends shivers down your spine as you take in the realization that you were made by God, the most powerful being in all existence.

Or maybe, like me, the phrase “made in God’s image” has grown dull over the years. It has lost its significance to you.

But if you think about it, how can this powerful truth ever lose meaning? Here are a few reasons I can think of:

Distractions

My mom used to read Psalm 119 on my birthday every year as a reminder of who I truly am. But I would always squirm at the part about our innermost parts being knit and all those “gory” details that stood out in my young mind.

Sometimes words and culture’s definition of what it means to be human distracts us from the wonder and complexity of being made in God’s image. These days, there’s all this emphasis on how humans have destroyed everything and we should be ashamed of our existence.

Before I contradict those words, I will say that we should do more to protect our environment, but we should not be held responsible for the mistakes of our ancestors. Living in constant guilt doesn’t solve any problems and harms our self-worth.

Anyway, as beings made in God’s image, we should not live in fear. God sees us as His perfect creation living in a fallen world, which is why we do not always live up to who we truly are. But God’s grace allows us to still be in relationship with our Creator once we repent from our sins.

If we let the criticisms others make about us define us, then we are losing sight of who God says we are. God is perfect, thus being made in His image means we were created with a perfect purpose. Nothing can change that.

2. Repetition Leading to Boredom

As I mentioned earlier, that one verse is the only one people seem to focus on when providing evidence of how we are made in God’s image. While that’s a great Psalm, there are many other places where the Bible proves our worth.

For example, right away in Genesis we see that God created us with a plan and purpose. He calls us “very good” after telling us to take care of everything else He has made. We are different from all other creation because we have a job to do. God entrusts us with the world and wants us to follow His plans for us.

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
Genesis 1:26

There are many other verses throughout the Bible, some in Paul’s letters of encouragement and instruction, which reminds us of who we belong to. Even in the verses where it isn’t spelled out for us, the fact that Jesus sacrificed His own life for us shows how loved, valued, and special we are to God.

3. Denial

The third and final reason we don’t always fully accept that we are made in God’s image is because we can’t bring ourselves to comprehend the true meaning behind those words.

We are made in God’s image.

Write that on a sticky note and put it on your mirror. Remind yourself of that fact daily, and support it with Bible verses.

No matter what the world tells you, you have a purpose. You are valuable. And the more you read God’s love letter to you–the Bible– the more you’ll begin to believe His truths about you.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10

The Trap that Comes with Doing Good

What activities have you committed to that now drain you?

I don’t know about you, but I have an overcommitment problem. I hear about something that sounds really good or needs my help, and I agree to participate. But then, over time, I struggle to feel motivated in that activity and my energy gets drained. I’ve often contemplated the reason this cycle keeps happening in my life, and a few possibilities come to mind. One, which I shared last week, would be trying to please people, having a difficult time saying no. Another would be not wanting to miss out.

But the one I’m going to be diving into today is my desire to be good, to please God, to redeem myself, through works. And besides the fact that this makes us think we no longer need salvation, it also causes us to distance ourselves from God.

Now, when you agree to lead a small group at church or take on another job to help someone, you probably don’t go into it thinking that you are doing it in order to “be good” or to “save yourself”. You probably do it thinking, “Oh, this sounds like a good cause, and God likes it when we help others, so I’ll do this.” Or maybe you do it for your own benefit or because you care about people.

But the truth is, when we go into things with the mindset that we’re in control of our lives and that God wants us to take care of ourselves (rather than relying on Him), we end up living for the wrong things and feel spiritually drained.

In my family, self-sufficiency is a high priority. Growing up, I was complimented as being independent by teachers and school counselors. I loved (and still fall into the trap of loving) the feeling of being in control and not needing to rely on anyone.

While we shouldn’t relying on people to make us satisfied or happy, we need to be in desperate want of Jesus. Our relationship with Jesus is one where we are needy, empty without Him. He’s the only one who should define us and who can fulfill us.

When we take opportunities that make us feel like we’re earning our keep, so to speak, we lose sight on the amazing gift of grace God gives us. And eventually, we end up feeling worthless and exhausted when those opportunities cease filling our tank.

But of course, not all opportunities are bad. God purposely puts certain opportunities in our paths so that we can grow closer to Him and help others. You might be asking, “How can I know if an opportunity is one I should take?”

For us who are already in many commitments, think about which ones might be hard work, but still feel fulfilling. You can still see God working through you in them. Then think about the ones that truly drain you. Those are the ones that you may need to let go of. When we are doing things for God, we will always have motivation.

Here are a few key questions to ask yourself about the commitments you already have or before saying yes to another opportunity:

Why am I doing/considering doing this? Is it to make myself feel like a better person or is it because I know God wants me to do it?
Will I still have time for rest when adding this to my schedule?
Will I sacrifice time with God by doing this?
How am I allowing this opportunity to shape how I see myself?
And then ultimately pray, read the Bible, and listen to God for direction before making a decision.

I hope these tips help you as you continue your journey with God! The most important thing to remember is that we will never be perfect until we go to Heaven, so we shouldn’t be striving for perfection now or holding ourselves to extreme expectations. Instead, we must allow God’s grace and peace to fill our hearts each day.

Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God.
2 Corinthians 3:5

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2 Corinthians 12:9

Side note: In relation to these themes, I’d highly recommend listening to the song Beautiful Things, by Worship Together. God is making beautiful things through you!

The True Meaning of Innocence

Do you feel burdened by mistakes you’ve made in the past? Here is some encouragement.

I’ve noticed throughout my lifetime that innocence has been given a negative connotation. Often people associate innocence with naivety, unintelligence, and a lack of maturity. Who would want to be considered innocent with that definition?

And to make things even more confusing, the Bible actually encourages us to be innocent. But the Bible also promotes wisdom, so isn’t there a contradiction here?

No, because the true definition of biblical innocence is not the same as our culture’s.

To me, part of the definition of innocent is that it’s the opposite of being guilty. That sounds overly simplified, but let me explain.

Imagine yourself in a courtroom. You’d rather be innocent than guilty, right? When we’re guilty, we are burdened, ashamed, and ridiculed. We are condemned. We are punished.

Hopefully you’ve never been prosecuted and brought to trial, but there are still many other examples of how guilt can ruin our lives.

Perhaps you made a mistake with your words that offended someone, and you feel terrible about it. Maybe you did something bigger, like causing a major inconvenience for someone, or hurting a relationship. Or maybe you feel guilty for not doing something God told you to do.

Close your eyes for a moment and clench your fists, as though you are holding onto that guilt. How does that make you feel? What do you feel guilty of? How long ago did this take place?

Now open your eyes, keeping your hands the way they are, and read this sentence aloud:

Jesus paid the price for my mistakes, and now I am free.

Repeat that sentence until you feel like you can open up your hands and release those burdens that have been weighing so heavily on your heart.

I have made many mistakes in my life that have affected the way I’ve seen myself, others, and even God. But God doesn’t want us to live in fear of making mistakes or burdened by our past sins. Instead, God wants us to be free to live abundant, fruitful lives through Him. When we finally let go of that guilt, we are innocent. We are no longer bothered by what has happened in the past and we fully accept ourselves as who God says we are.

To me, being innocent is allowing ourselves to live joyful lives and to see ourselves as the beloved children of God. We can understand the world and be wise while being free from our regrets.

He delivers even the one who is not innocent, who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.
Job 22:30

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20

Who Defines You?

Do you often feel used or deemed worthless by others? Do you feel burned out by trying to live up to others’ expectations?

I don’t know about you, but I can often exhibit people-pleasing tendencies. If you aren’t sure if you are a people-pleaser, consider this list of statements and see if any resonate with you:

I feel worn out because of other people’s demands, yet I can’t say no
I often feel used by others
I get my fulfillment through making others happy
I often just go with what others want, even when I have a different opinion
I hide my own feelings if they differ from others
I get hurt by criticism really easily, even if it’s constructive
I try to figure out what other people think of me, because that affects my self-esteem
I allow others to decide how worthy I am

If a few of those (or all) really clicked with you, then you have probably had issues setting boundaries and you’ve been really hurt by others for either not appreciating you or for things they have said that you’ve let get to you.

Here’s the thing, yes part of it might be on them for not being diplomatic or for not realizing how you feel. But you need to be honest with yourself and realize that if you’re allowing others to determine how much you are worth, then you are going to be in an endless cycle of feeling less-than. You will never measure up to everyone’s standards of excellence.

I’m in a writing class (there’s a pro-tip coming ahead if you’re also a writer) and we comment on other people’s short stories. As a people pleaser, I often get upset when people don’t like what I’ve written, or even when they’ve found a tiny flaw that doesn’t satisfy them. I’ve allowed their ideas, these random-people-who-I’ve-never-met’s ideas, affect how I view myself as a writer. I am so easily discouraged that I dread reading their comments, even when many of them have both positive and critical things to say.

But here’s the thing: they don’t know me. They don’t know my story. They have their own struggles that they are dealing with. And they have different perspectives. So I should listen to what they are saying, but take it with a grain of salt.

As I read the most recent comments, I noticed a similarity between them and ones from previous work. None of them agree with each other. One person likes the opening monologue while another thinks it’s boring. One person feels like a character is their best friend while another can’t relate to them.

My bottom line is this: Whether you are a writer or not, you can’t please everyone. There’s just no physical way.

And the truth is, no person can fully understand you or your whole story. Only God knows you deeply and loves you.

Imagine you see this gorgeous painting that you want to further understand. You wouldn’t let some fifth-grader who just got dragged into an art museum explain the artist’s intent behind their work, would you? Not if you wanted the truthful, deep, thought-provoking answer dripping with love and affection for their masterpiece.

That’s why you shouldn’t let the people you meet online, your coworkers, or even people close to you define you. No one can express how much you are truly worth like your Creator can. He’s the only one who knows your full purpose, how intricately designed you are, and how long it took Him to breathe you into being.

You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Never let yourself believe otherwise.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
Psalm 139:14

Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.
Isaiah 48:10-11

Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.
Genesis 2:7