🔥 Day 2: When Your Biggest Fail Turns Into Love’s Biggest Win
The Lie: Your worth is based on what you do.
The Truth Bomb: You are loved simply because you are His.
Read The Daily:
“But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: ‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.’” – Isaiah 43:1
Post by Katie Wagner
In a world that often bases our value on our productivity and achievements, it’s easy to slip into the mindset that our worth is tied to what we do. We measure ourselves against the standards set by others, convinced that if we just work harder, earn more, or achieve bigger, we will finally be enough. But these thoughts are false and lead to disappointment, anxiety, and exhaustion. The truth found in Isaiah 43:1 tells us our worth is not determined by our actions but by our identity as beloved creations of God. Managing being a wife, a mom of two busy boys, a full-time nurse practitioner, a daughter, and a (half-decent) friend is not easy for me. Actually, I’m really bad at getting everything I’ve set out to accomplish in a day’s time done, let alone done well. I often feel like I have failed someone at the end of my day.
A few years ago, my oldest son Beau’s school sent a note home that they would be celebrating the 100th day of school by wearing “100” of something on their clothing. I’m not very crafty, but I glued 100 small toy insects on the front and back of a T-shirt with the words “100 days of bugging my teacher” and sent him to school the next day. My husband Travis dropped him off at school. When I went to pick him up at the end of the day, I noticed all the other children had on “regular” clothes. I hadn’t fully read the note, and the 100th day of school was weeks away!
Beau was old enough to be embarrassed by my mistake, and I was planning to profusely apologize when we got to the car. But when I asked him about it, he told me that he LOVED his shirt and was excited to wear it again on the 100th day of school. One of my biggest “mom fails” to date met with love and grace from my little boy. I could name 100 stories where I felt I didn’t do enough as a mom, wife, daughter, and friend. But in actuality, “my people” love me because I am theirs, and they are mine.
We are loved unconditionally by God. This love isn’t earned or lost through our actions; it simply exists because we are His.
We may feel pressure to prove ourselves. But God’s message is clear. He has redeemed us, which means our past (and future) mistakes and shortcomings do not define us. Instead, we are defined by His love and grace! Good news for people pleasers and wanna-be high achievers like me!
Prayer for the Day
God what are you showing me? What am I going to do about it?
God help me to see one person that I can serve through a kind word, random act of kindness, or simple gift today?
Make sure you complete the reading or comment today.
Read The New Testament In A Year
4 x 6 Plan | Read: John 1:1-18 & James 1:1-11
In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’” From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us. John 1:1-18
This letter is from James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am writing to the “twelve tribes”—Jewish believers scattered abroad. Greetings! Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do. Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored them. And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field. The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements. James 1:1-11