Op-Ed: Making sure we are seeing with spiritual eyes
By Dr. Billy Holland
Often the dark side tries to bring us down and discourage us, and if we continue down this dreary path, we will accept that our life is not worth much and no one really cares. However, there is some incredibly good news; Nothing could be further from the truth! The Bible, as the highest standard of absolute truth, clearly establishes that God sees you as the most valuable treasure ever created. Since our Creator is perfect and everything He makes is without mistakes, it’s our responsibility as a victorious overcomer to believe it and live it! How we view ourselves has everything to do with our free will. You see, we can choose to live with low self-esteem and believe a lie, or we can decide that God adores us and is waiting for us to realize who we are in Him. “I will praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are your works; and that, my soul knows well” Psalm 139:14.
We not only have two sets of eyes, but we also live in two different worlds at the same time. Our physical eyes process everything within this natural realm, and our perception has a direct influence on our emotions. When we are convinced that we have been sentenced to a life of failure and rejection, we feel sad and discouraged. However, when Christ brings His light and life into our lives, He renews our mind and unveils our spiritual discernment in order for us to comprehend spiritual truth. This gives us the ability to see ourselves the way He sees us. Remember: our focus determines our reality. Until we go beyond the default way of thinking, we will not be able to understand this divine reality. We are vulnerable to becoming entangled with depression and feelings of low self-esteem, but we can find relief from our pain by simply asking God (who lives in us) to give us a brand new way of recognizing and thinking. Ralph Waldo Emerson is quoted as saying, “What is behind us and before us are tiny matters compared to what is within us.”
If only you could know how important you are to God. The precious blood of Jesus is the highest payment that could be offered for our redemption, and it was given to set you free from sin and restore your covenant with the Almighty. When Jesus willingly went to the cross, you were on His mind, and He would have gladly paid that price if you had been the only person in the world. If you have given your heart to Christ, you now belong to Him, and as His child, could anything in heaven or earth be worth more to Him than you? You should be beaming with joy, hope, and love, knowing that you will spend an eternity with Him. 1 Corinthians 6 explains that His people are bought with a price and are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Accusations and negative thoughts of fear and hopelessness are demonic attacks from Satan to keep us in bondage. Resist him, and he will flee; he is a liar who uses deception to steal, kill, and destroy.
Yes, we will face harsh resistance from the enemy of our soul, but we can stand boldly in confidence when we accept God as the author and finisher of our faith. “But thou, O Lord are a shield for me; my glory and the lifter of my head.” Psalm 3:3. The Lord declares throughout His Word that He considers our value simply because of who we are – nothing else. You see, value and worth depend on how much someone is willing to pay, and as John 3:16 declares, “For God so loved you, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” This means that God sacrificed His own Son for you – which proves that you are His most priceless treasure! No one has ever paid a greater price than God paid for you, and no one has more value in heaven or in earth than you. You were created on purpose, for a purpose! Let God’s truth be absorbed into your soul, and as you allow His promises to solidify your faith and renew your mind, slowly, day by day, you will discover that your personal relationship with Him is the meaning of life.
Dr. Holland is an ordained minister, chaplain, and Christian author. You can read more about the Christian life at billyhollandministries.com. To sponsor this column, email Dr. Holland at psalmz103@gmail.com.