Yeah, I'm A Failure

        Ever heard the saying, “What you say is what you are?” Well, living in a house full of girls, (With nothing to fight with, but words) I certainly have. This may seem a small statement, but I think it's a reflection of our world today. The world wants you to believe that you are what your choices are. And your fruits define you. Okay, but what about all the stupid things I do? What about the time I lied to my cousin? Gossiped about my friend? Undermined my parents decisions? Spat in my sisters face? Hey! What about the 639,039,328,211 things I did wrong yesterday? (yes, I keep count) I believe I'm a child of God. I try to act like one, but like all other fallen creatures... I must be a complete failure according to the world. And I am. According to the world. Haha! That makes me think of the song (which I do not like) called According To You by Orianthi... It goes...

According to you

I'm stupid, I'm useless.

I can't do anything right...

       And sometimes I even find myself thinking this. It's true. I'll never be good enough for the world. Girls. Have you ever been to a grocery store?! You can't even check out without seeing one of those trashy magazines screaming that you need to loose 25 pounds in two weeks! Oooo! Exciting...! Aaaaand then gain it all back a week later. But seriously. Let's face it. We're all failures.

        But I'd like to share with you another song... It's called You Are More by Tenth Avenue North. Good Band. Really solid guys. The song goes like this...

You are more than the choices that you've made.

You are more than the sum of your past mistakes.

You are more than the problems you create.

You've been remade.

       I think that's what the real answer is. It's not about what you've done. But what's been done for you. And that's the beauty of grace. It takes you as you are... Bruised, broken, torn, mangled, mutilated, mournfully mortified. (wow) But the great thing about God, is that he doesn't just leave us there. He redeems us. Redemption. One of my favorite words. It's one of those things that only God can do. It's when you dig a hole. You keep digging, (this is your life) you keep digging, and digging... It only gets worse. But not only does God fill that hole up. But he turns it upside down. Yes by grace he covers what we've done. He gives us something that we don't deserve. But He takes it a step further. He takes all of the things we've done. The things that made us a failure right? He takes all of that stuff and makes it into something that we could never have imagined before. Into something only God can do. Redemption.

        Remember that song According To You by Orianthi? Scroll up if you don't.

After all the pouting and stuff...

According to you

I'm stupid, I'm useless.

I can't do anything right...

                                                                                                          etc.

BUT then it goes on to say...

According to him. I'm special, cute (You know, The normal pop song...)

But, I look at that. And I think of my Father in Heaven. I just thought it was funny, turning a secular pop song into a "Jesus Loves you and the world doesn't," song. It doesn't matter what the world thinks. I'm not who I was. I am a new creation. God no longer sees a mangled, mournfully, mortified mess... He sees his Son. Not me. And that's all I need. The truth is yes. You are a failure according to the world. But now you are more than the choices that you've made. You're the sum of a fathers love for you.

Take a look at this...