My Spot

 

“And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us.” Romans 5:5

Finding myself craving my time with Jesus this morning. So, I brewed up a quick cuppa in my favorite cup and sat down with my Bible and devotional. 

Recently, completely upon a compulsive whim, I decided I no longer wanted the couch and loveseat in my back room, so I posted it for sale on Marketplace. Much to my surprise, it sold in a little under an hour. So, then I was left with a bare room beckoning to be filled again. 

This new endeavor was however, strategically thought out and not done on impulse. I wanted a space to call my own. A corner to retreat to. A quiet spot. A my spot. A safe, comfortable place to read and write and think...and relax. A little getaway right in the middle of my every day. My Spot. 

So, I decided on a chair-and-a-half with a storage ottoman by Lazyboy. No, it’s not brand new, I snagged it from Marketplace also. It has all my favorite fall colors in it - oranges, browns, and reds. Comfy pillows and a couple throws, along with a new collage of my grands on the wall behind me, perfectly topped-off my spot.  It’s perfectly suited for me and just to my liking. Oh, my piano is also in that area. Favorite things!

Now that I’ve described my spot to you, I want to share one more thing. In the 19 years we’ve lived in this home, I’ve hardly spent much time here. So, to sit here this morning is feeling like I have an entirely new view of my home. It feels and looks different from this angle, but in a good way. 

This view is an entirely different one but of the same place I’ve called home for almost two decades. And I started thinking: how many times do we perceive ourselves from only one vantage point...it could be ours, or perhaps what others tell us we are. 

I’m sure we all have things we don’t care for when it comes right down to truly evaluating ourselves. After all, we’re all involved in becoming. 

Maybe we don’t like our body type, or our personality, the way we deal with life issues, or the way we do relationships, or perhaps one of a million other things. On the other hand, there are labels others have given to us or unkind things which have been spoken into our lives: we’re too quiet or too loud, too this or that, not smart, or overly-sensitive, uncaring, and on and on we could probably list. Ours, as well as other’s opinions and views of us, may be positive or negative, but it doesn’t mean that’s who we really are. Others can only see our outside versions, made up of our responses or reactions. We are often our own worst enemy too. It’s easy to be too hard on ourselves and set expectations that are much too high - for ourselves and others.

It’s kind of like my new spot. I’ve viewed it in an entirely different light until recently. Others have also defined it over the years . It used to be what my children needed that defined it, or whatever the necessity called for at the time. 

When I sit here this morning though, I think of it as my oasis. To me, it’s kind of comparable to the way God is looking at us. We, and others, may sum us up, but God usually has a completely different view and opinion of us. He knows us from the inside out. He has a vantage point nobody else has. 

If we could only begin to see ourselves as He sees us and not be defined by our own flawed opinions or the labels we allow others to attach to us. Maybe this isn’t a situation for everyone, but I know there are at least a few who struggle with this false identity stuff at times - I do, plus there are a gazillion “self help” books out there. 

God is the only One who can give us our true identity. He says we are loved, talented, important, special, and irreplaceable. Sure, He’s got His work cut out to make us into the person and masterpiece He has planned, but with God all things are possible - if only we’ll give Him space and opportunity. 

So, maybe we should find a new spot in our day to just sit and rest in the Lord, to take in what He says about us, and to see ourselves as He sees us. That’s what our soul craves! Yeah, we might not like what we see at first glance, but we can always rest knowing if we give Him the reigns, He’ll make us into lovely vessels of joy, completely filled with hope. He’ll use us in beautiful way to touch the lives of others for the better. He’ll activate the gifts He’s instilled in each of us, to bring Himself glory and to love each other a little better. 

That’s definitely a spot I long to call My Spot too. How about you?

Remember, stressed is desserts looked at from a different viewpoint. Be blessed today!