It’s been such a long time since I’ve written! For the past couple weeks I’ve had a certain theme on my heart so I finally found the time to sit down and collect my thoughts…i hope they make sense!
Recently, my favorite activity to do on my days off is running. It completely clears my head from all stress and worries of work, and most of the time I fill my mind with Christian music. A couple weeks ago I listened to a song that I had not listened to in a while and it captured my heart just like the first time when Kiki first played it for me. It’s by Seventh Day slumber and it’s called “from the inside out”….the part that really sparks me to the very core are these following lyrics:
“My heart, my soul, Lord I give you control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise become my embrace
To love You from the inside out
Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame
And the cry of my heart is to bring You praise
From the inside out, O my soul cries out"
FROM THE INSIDE OUT: the title of this song is extremely important….we must come to know and praise God from the inside out… what happens if we don’t? we become those people in church who are constantly checking their watches and who can’t wait for church to be over so they can go back to “their own business”… i’m sure those people love God, but their love for Him at that moment is failing to come from their true inside. On the outside, they are at Church…they love God from the outside view…but their hearts are elsewhere. God can be found deep within all of us. Our creator loved us so much that he can be found within each of our own hearts. And He calls each of us to that very place where we can meet Him and find this deep, moving love that stems from the deepest part of our souls.
You often hear people talking on tv or on the radio about the need to “find oneself” or “discover oneself”. I could not agree more, but sometimes they miss the key on how to do this. We won’t find ourselves by reading a million self help books, going on a getaway vacation, or scoring the perfect job. These things may help but the key to finding oneself is by the same “inside love”. I believe that we can never be confident in knowing who we are unless we are confident in knowing who our God is. Think about this: if you want to know your family’s ancestry, you have to go to the people who created you: your parents, grandparents, great grandparents…if you really want to know where you came from…you have to trace all the way back as far as you can go in the line of your creation. If you really want to know why you are the way you are, why you have certain talents and why you fail at other things, or what your purpose is here on earth, you have to look to the ultimate Creator. You have to look deep within yourself to that very spot in your heart where God resides. God will reveal to you why He made you who you are and who He is calling you to be, but we have to be the ones to reach deep on the inside and allow God to reveal these truths to us. Only then , can we find full confidence in ourselves as children of God.
I think this is really important in relationships with friends, family or significant others. Matthew Kelly wrote, “for to love is to give your self freely and without reservation. Yet to give yourself to another person, you must first possess your self.” I think now adays society tells us in movies and tv shows that to possess yourself, to find yourself will happen by falling into a nice relationship or looking to friends. And yes these things can help, but i can’t emphasize enough how God is crucial in being comfortable in your own skin. If you aren’t fully you, or if you aren’t comfortable with who you are, then you are not adding to that relationship. You are the constant moocher…trying to find yourself through others. They may help you or give good advice, or help you place a temporary bandaid on all your scars, but Jesus is there to help you become fully you and to heal those deep wounds on your heart. And by knowing Him, He will help you know yourself and your purpose, and then you will be fully adding to your relationships since you are fully known!
I guess it all comes down to, God and knowing God more should always be your number one priority. Find Him deep down within yourself, and a great love and confidence will radiate from your innermost being that may make it hard for others to look away! May you always feel the great love that God wishes all of us to feel from the “inside out”.