In one sparkling moment I suddenly saw clearly. I was praying for one of my kids. It was an exercise in a way. We had been to a seminar that encouraged us to learn how to listen to the Holy Spirit as we prayed. It was amazing and encouraging to find myself praying things that I never would have thought of as I had opportunities to apply what I had learned. So, this day I had decided to pray for one of my kids. The child was still quite small so I sat them on my lap and just started to pray. I began letting the Holy Spirit guide my words and as I spoke them out I came to a disconcerting conclusion: This child was nothing like me! It wasn’t until that moment that I realized this had been my expectation. It was a double reveal. My expectation and the truth about my child.
At first, I was disappointed. I guess every parent has ideas about their kids. You know. Parents proudly say things like, “He’s a chip off the old block!” Or “She’s the spitting image of her mother.” Whether we admit it or not, we often think of our children as an extension of ourselves. In this clarifying moment of prayer I realized that this child was not an extension of me, but a unique and independent creation all their own. It was disappointing and freeing all at the same time. Disappointment simply means that what we expected didn’t happen. My child was not a disappointment, but my expectation was definitely disappointed. Letting go of my presumption freed me to see truth instead of what I wanted to see. I found myself watching this child with enlightened eyes and learning more about who they really were, without the preconceived notion that they were in my likeness.
Through that illuminating prayer time I was able to be a better parent to that child (and to my other children!) and to encourage their God-given individuality. Watching them discover and develop their own particular talents has brought me great joy. Oh, as they grew I still struggled with trying to train their behavior in ways I thought appropriate, but not with trying to make them like me. This grown up child now walks their own path and expresses their own personality. It’s a delight to encourage them to continue to discover what God has in store for them.
Perhaps you had a parent that tried to make you over into their image. Perhaps they didn’t encourage you in your individuality. No matter what happened in your childhood, it isn’t too late to develop your God-given uniqueness. God made you so that you could be like you, not your parent and He takes great delight as you discover the you He made you to be.
Dear One, as uniquely as God has created you, He also created you in His image and intends you to display His likeness. You are meant to be an imitator of God as His dear child. (Ephesians 5:1) And as you imitate Him and let the Holy Spirt transform your character to be more like Him, then you begin to shine. You are created to reflect His glory. Like a perfectly aligned mirror, you are made to shine with His light. Isnt it an amazing thought? God made each of us to display our own unique facet of His likeness. Not one of us is alike and yet, we each are meant to show His glory, something of what He is like. Only our amazingly creative God could accomplish something so splendid.
So, dear one, shine as your unique self and when you line up your life with His light...oh my friend... you are glorious!
Key thought: You are a unique reflection of His glory.
A Scripture to consider: Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Philippians 2:15 NLT
A YES Challenge: Take some time in God’s presence to let Him reveal His delight in your uniqueness. Accept it as a gift from and Him and develop it for His glory.
Prayer: Dear Hevenly Father, Thank You for making me unique and for making me in Your image. Let my highest goal be to reflect Your glory in all that I do. Amen.