Becoming The Best Version of Yourself

 When we think of the words Image and Self Image what do we think of? Do we think at first an Image is just a painting, a picture worth a thousand words? Do we think of Images as pictures of we see ourselves as God sees us? Or do we look at our own Self Image and see that the words that people might paint in our mind that the enemy tells them to say, are true about us? Do we really need the Filter of the Image that the enemy says we are or can we look up to God and see that No Filter at all can be one of the best images God sees us in cause we were made to be who we are in the Image of Him and we are Beloved everyday? All questions to ask ourselves as we dive into the scriptures that talk about Image, Self Image, Image of God, and let's just be keeping this in mind as these questions will help us reflect on who we are called to be. John 10 verse 10, 1 John 3 verse 1-3, James 3 verse 9, Ephesians 2 verse 10, Psalm 139 verse 14, 1 Samuel 16 verse 7, 2 Corinthians 5 verse 17, Genesis 1 verse 26-27, Titus 1 verse 4, Romans 5 verse 8, Luke 12 verse 7, Philippians 2 verse 3, Romans 12 verse 2, 2 Timothy 1 verse 7, Colossians 3 verse 12, Romans 3 verse 23, Ephesians 6 verse 12, Joshua 1 verse 9, John 15 verse 5, Ephesians 4 verse 24, John 1 verse 1, John 4 verse 24, John 1 verse 12, 2 Corinthians 4 verse 16, John 3 verse 16-17, John 15 verse 12.

In every scripture we go back to the reflection questions and we see how we don't need to be anyone else but our true and genuine self in who God has made to be. We see how God has shown us that if we just try and become the best versions of ourselves and trust in the heart of Him then we can start to see how the enemies lies around us are nothing but just little specs of dust that vanish cause we start realizing the Truth. The Truth in which God is, The Truth in who we see ourselves in who God made us to be daily.

Sometimes when I pray, You wonder if I'm talking to the ceiling, Sometimes when I sing, I question if this whole thing's just a feeling, Who are you? Who am I? Questions just keep racing through my mind

If you want me, Here I am, no filters, With questions more than answers, You want me, here I am, No hiding, No more playing perfect, 'Cause honesty is worth it, You want me, here I am, You want me, here I am, Sometimes I do all the right things, Hoping it would you make proud of me, hmm-mm, Is it ok to feel you, More in nature than inside church buildings? Hmm-mm, Who are you? Who am I?, Question after question in my mind, If you want me, Here I am, no filters, With questions more than answers, You want me, here I am, No hiding, No more playing perfect, 'Cause honesty is worth it, You want me, here I am, You want me, here I am, oh, You want me, here I am, I want to believe, I do, Help my unbelief, Help my unbelief, Oh, I want to believe the truth, Help my unbelief, Help my unbelief, If you want me, Here I am, no filters, With questions more than answers, You want me, here I am.

You've owned your fear and all your self-loathing, You've owned the voices inside of your head, You've owned the shame and reproach of your failure, It's time to own your belovedness, You've owned your past and how it's defined you, You've owned everything everybody else says, It's time to hear what your Father has spoken, It's time to own your belovedness, He says, "You're mine, I smiled when I made you, I find you beautiful in every way, My love for you is fierce and unending, I'll come to find you, whatever it takes, My beloved".

I don't wanna take a step unless You lead it, I don't wanna speak a word unless You breathe it, God I'm looking up, keep me looking up, Looking up to the light I know will guide me, And I pray every day You find me, Find me looking up, always looking up, I've been working my whole life, To stand up on this stage, In front of a crowd under the bright lights, Yeah, but one thing has changed, I used to dream of the day it was my name, That everybody knew, Now I know that You led me here to leave 'em, Looking up to You, You, You.

When you close your eyes, do you go back there, To a bended knee and a "Lord, I need you" whispered prayer?, Remember the moment you let Jesus in, Would you give anything to go back there again? , You feel like a million mistakes and a million miles, Away from the first time faith of a child, But oh, I want you to know, He's making you new, He's making you new, He's healing your heart right where you are, If only you knew, He's lifting your shame, He's changing your name And when you look back, The only thing that you'll see is His grace, Has been making you brand new, He is making you brand new.

We are made, Made in the image of, Made in the image of God, Beautiful shades of love, We are made, Made in the image of, Made in the image of God, That's where the light comes from, We all need the same medicine, We all need another second chance, There's no first in line at the foot of the Cross.

With all of this we see that we don't need a Filter to know we are made in The Image Of God, to know we can look up to Him as we own our Belovedness and know that He made us to be who we are because He loves us for who we are called to be as His Children and no matter how many times the Enemy will try to steal, kill and destroy our joy, we know that all we need to do is keep becoming the best versions of ourselves because if we do that, the right people in our life now and those who get to know us will keep loving us for who we are, not who the Enemy thinks we are and will love us for us, and for who God loves us as His Children because when we become the best version of ourselves in who Christ made us to be, Christ will show us that is really all we need to do because Christ loved us first and He knows our hearts, we were and truly are made in the Image of Him and He knows our hearts and thoughts before we ask or think it, and so as we continue throughout our week, let us remember to keep being the best version of our self, so that we can continue to help encourage and uplift others around us that may doubt themselves.

See when we doubt ourselves we don't try and be the best version of our self, instead we let the enemy take over and put us down, to tell us we are not worthy, how can we truly be loved by God? Well, see that is a lie from the enemy because we are worthy and loved by God and God only wants us to become the best versions of ourselves every day in who we were made and called to be in the plan that He has for our lives.

So take time even to remember Jeremiah 29 verse 11 that says: For I Know The Plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you, not to harm you, but to give you a hope and a future.

That hope and future will help lead you in His plan to show you, You are where you're supposed to be.

You are who you were made to be. You are becoming the best version of yourself in Christ rather than being what the enemy thinks is the best version of you, by putting lies, fear, anxiety and doubt in your heart.