As a coach, I come across so many people that believe that somehow the way they are is wrong or not enough. They need to prove their value to their spouse, boss, colleagues, and sometimes, even to themselves.
The psalmist in Psalm 139:14 says, “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvellous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.”
This verse clearly states that we ought to “praise” the Lord for we are “fearfully and wonderfully made”. We need to be praising, thanking, and celebrating who we are, who the Lord made us be – how marvelously He has made us.
Fearfully, comes from the root Hebrew word yare which means to stand in awe (Vine’s Dictionary). The sense that this verse gives us is that the Lord “stood in awe” as he made you!
Wonderfully comes from the Hebrew word, palah. It means to distinguish, set apart, separate and marvel awe (Vine’s Dictionary). You were made distinctly, uniquely, in a way that is set apart from everyone else. You are marvellous!
So, to be “fearfully and wonderfully made” means that the Lord stood in awe of you as He set you apart – differently and distinctly.
How often do we obey the word of the Lord’s clear instructions to celebrate, praise and stand in awe of how distinctly we are made? We look at ourselves and compare ourselves to others when we are each uniquely set apart and different.
What will it take for you to recognise how perfectly you were made?
What will it take to celebrate your unique gifts and talents?
Do you realize that in Psalm 139:14 YOU are His ‘marvelous’ works and that your ‘soul’ – mind, will, and emotions – know this ‘very well’? Sometimes it may feel like your mind, will, and emotions do not know this. It may have accepted lies about who you are, believing that somehow you are not enough and the way you are is wrong.
These lies may have been embedded in your mind over time; you are not tall enough, thin enough, talented enough, and so on. You need to line up your mind, will, and emotions with the word of God, meditating on this truth that it inherently knows; YOU are His marvelous workmanship. The lies you may have believed need to be revealed for what they are. You need to consciously reject these lies and plant the truth of the word in your soul – that you are fearfully and wonderfully made!
In 2 Corinthians 5:21, Paul reminds us that we are the RIGHTeousness of God in Christ. Everything about you is RIGHT and perfect for God’s will in your life.
You are the RIGHT height, the RIGHT color, the RIGHT gender, from the RIGHT country, with the RIGHT background, with the RIGHT gifts and talents etc…
You are RIGHT! Jesus made you RIGHT.
You do not have to go around trying to prove this to yourself, your family, your friends, your colleagues, and others to feel good enough or accepted.
You need to first believe it and receive it by faith! Everything in the kingdom of God works through faith and you need to receive your identity in Him by faith. Paul encourages us in 2 Corinthians 5:7 to ‘walk by faith and not by sight.’
Secondly, you need to start thinking, feeling, and operating from the knowledge that everything about you is RIGHT and perfect for His will for your life. To do this, as mentioned previously, you need to meditate on the truth of what God’s word says about you.
According to Joshua 1:8 “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”
The root Hebrew word used for mediate is hagah, which means to utter, speak, muse, declare (Vine’s Dictionary).
You must receive and celebrate the truth found in God’s word that you are fearfully and wonderfully made, that everything about you is right and perfect for God’s will in your life. As you muse over and declare this truth you will find prosperity and good success!