How often do we get caught up in the bad things of life, and forget the good? How often do we forget who created us?  How often do we feel unloved, worthless, disgusting, and ugly?

     If we were to be honest, the majority of the time we get caught up in the darkness of life, instead of turning to God. Isaiah 42:16 says, "I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them." I know when nothing seems to be going right and life just seems to really stink, I often forget the bits of good that have happened. I get so caught up in the bad things, that I forget there is a Savior waiting to rescue me and allow me to find refuge in Him.

    Instead of running to refuge, I get sucked into darkness. I forget who created me, and why I'm here. It takes a lot to remember that "I am fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14). When I do remember that, and stop dwelling on other things, nothing else seems to matter. I mean, think about it, God's hands shaped and made each and everyone of us (Job 10:8). 

    He didn't make us unloved, worthless, disgusting, or ugly. He used His own hands to shape and make us; to make us fearfully and wonderfully! He did not create us to be absolutely worthless with no meaning whatsoever. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope." 

     Most of the time we think otherwise, though. Even I often forget that God gives us hope, and that He isn't out to harm us. I have a friend who once told me the devil doesn't want us to know that we have hope and that God loves us; because the devil doesn't want us to be secure in Christ. She told me, "God created you in His image.... and He DOESN'T make mistakes... which means He created you perfect... and when He looks at you He sees his beautiful daughter/son who He could not love any more or any less... He sees the righteousness of Christ... He sees purity, a blank slate on which He wants to write the next chapter of your life."

     I ask myself, and I challenge each of you to ask yourselves, are you ready to allow Him to write the next chapter of your life? Are you ready to remember the good and not dwell in darkness? Are you ready to remember who created you and why?