+Jeanne Takenaka @JeanneTakenaka
We are in part five of the series, Chosen and Approved: Untangling Our Identities from People and Perfection. Emily Conrad, Mary Geisen, and I are still works-in-progress, learning to find our identities and value in Jesus alone. We’d love for you to join us each Tuesday through November 8th and share your journey with us.
This week, Mary Geisen writes:
“the world paints lies with just enough detail to resemble your outline and you visibly shrink against the portrait wishing for so much more.”
These words caught me, because I’ve been the girl she describes. I look at the outline of the world’s lies, or incomplete truths, and I take that as gospel. And I wish for so much more than the picture painted.
So many voices vie for our attention, don’t they? The world, shouting its messages of what we should look like, what we should do, who we should be . . .
There are those messages in our own minds . . . the ones that tell us how we have failed, not lived up to others’ expectations (or our own).
If you’re at all like me, it gets kind of noisy inside our heads sometimes. All those words, spoken in condemning, demanding tones of voice (that sound suspiciously like our own).
How do we filter out the messages? How do we know what we should be listening to? How do we know which of the voices trying to define our identities is accurate?
As Mary says, the world and our own voices often paint an incomplete silhouette of all God has created us to be. We can be discouraged with the often skewed incomplete picture, or we can learn truth that helps us to know which voice we need to listen to.
This week, Mary’s post speaks firm yet gentle truth to a spirit that is weary of trying to figure out what—or who—defines our identity. Join me as I click over to her site to read the rest of her encouraging, uplifting words.
Today, I’m linking up with Katie Reid for #RaRaLinkup
Jeanne Takenaka 
Well-said, Jeanne.
Overall, I AM a failure, and there’s no choice but to make some sort of peace with that.
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Andrew, it’s hard when all the things we’ve not done or messed up keep parading themselves in our memories. This is what I know, though. Often God’s definition of success and ours looks very different. When we can choose to accept the grace He offers in those times we fell short, it makes things a little easier to bear. And it can help us reframe how we see ourselves and our decisions. When we can choose to accept how He sees us, this can give us peace we find in no other way. I’m praying for you, my friend.
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I really appreciate this idea for your series. Such important truths. And y es, the voices in our heads get so loud. We need to slow down and drawn in close to hear His voice: “You are my beloved son/daughter. With you I am well pleased.”
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Thank you, Betsy. It’s been a good reminder for me. It’s far too easy to get caught up in what the world says. And harder to turn off the world’s voice so I can more clearly hear God’s words over me. Yes, to think that God calls us His beloved absolutely floors me sometimes. Thanks so much for stopping by. 🙂
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Oh yes, Jeanne, those voices in my head get so loud sometimes. Thank you for understanding. I love Mary’s message and your words here. So encouraging. Blessings and hugs to you!
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Trudy, I know those loud voices. It’s my prayer for you (and me 🙂 ) that, as we learn to hear Jesus’ voice more clearly we’ll listen to it rather than the lies. I’m so blessed you stopped by!
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