When you feel you have nothing to offer…
Shrinking Violet is shy, quiet and withdrawn. She walks into a room with her head down, wanting nothing more than to blend in with the scenery and to avoid attention. She believes that her presence is unwanted, perhaps even worthless and would much rather have stayed away. She feels like she is always in the way. She has accepted that she is not desired, not appreciated and never noticed. She is insecure and wants to reach out to others, but is paralyzed by the fear of rejection. She is alone, but not by choice. She did not ask for this life, she did not ask to be different. She really would love to be like everyone else. She sees and she envies those who are desired and loved by all. She is plagued with a nagging feeling that she CAN be more, that she CAN do more, indeed, that she SHOULD do more, but she feels powerless to change her circumstances.
Perhaps Shrinking Violet was intimated or bullied at some formative stage, perhaps she was extremely sheltered growing up; or perhaps she lived through a rejection event that convinced her that the world would be better off if she just stayed in her own lane, and paddled her own canoe.
Today, I have a word for Shrinking Violet. Do you know her? Are you her, perhaps?
The Word of our Father is that “ … you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession,” (1 Peter 2:9a, NIV).
…chosen. You are chosen! Maybe you have always been the one left in the group without a partner when people are asked to pair up. Maybe you are the one whose jokes never laughed at. Maybe you are the one who is always on the outside looking in. Maybe you have sought acceptance your whole life from parents, peers, partners, superiors – people you envy, or respect, or love, or people in authority over you. Each time, you have suffered rejection. Shift your gaze from man and unto God and see that you are not just accepted, you are chosen! Shortcomings, insecurities, baggage, issues, and all, God not only accepted you, He chose you! Do not allow the world’s acceptance system to define you.
…special possession. You are valuable! Jesus gave His life for you! The cross proves your value. You are not worthless. You are just a work in progress. Your opinions, your views are not worthless. They just need to be refined, just as gold and silver are refined so the true value can shine through.
…royal priesthood. You are capable! Maybe you failed in the past and you feel you have nothing to offer. Perhaps you have just never been able to compete – there has always been someone better, more analytical, more charismatic, more creative, more detailed, indeed more political than you and so you have accepted that you will never be the best. You need to know that as a priest, God has given you capacity to serve in some particular area! He has “…given unto us all things that pertain unto life…” (2 Peter 1:3, KJV). You are fit for purpose. Perhaps your frustrations are on account of you pursuing the wrong purpose! God has entrusted His own work into your hands, is that not enough to make you hold your head up high the next time you walk into a room?
…holy. As long as you have confessed your sin and accepted Christ, you are forgiven, sins forgotten, slate wiped clean, “Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people,” (1 Peter 2:10, NIV). Once you are His, you are chosen, you are valuable, and you are capable.
For as she thinketh in her heart, so is she, (Proverbs 23:7a, KJV, edited).
The way you see yourself determines how you act. In other words, YOU SET YOURSELF UP! If you see yourself as a loser, you will act like a loser, and in the end, you WILL lose. If you see yourself as a victim, you will allow people to victimise you. If you see yourself as uncreative, you will never come up with creative ideas. But if you see yourself as successful, then you have a fighting chance at actually succeeding.
Shrinking Violet, do not allow your past experiences to render you powerless. That feeling that you have that you can do more is God telling you that you are living beneath your potential! Stop telling yourself that you are a victim of circumstance. If you do not rise up and do something, you are a victim of self!
The power for change is in you, just like a seed. Put a seed in the ground, water it, give it light and nutrients, and it will push back the earth, and it will rise, it will stand. It does the work required to get itself out of the ground. You have work to do as well. If the seed does nothing, it will die. You cannot afford to do nothing.
First, you need to change your mindset. Regardless of the noise around you, tell yourself you are chosen, you are valuable, you are capable. Tell yourself, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13, NKJV).
As a priest, you have direct access to God, so go to Him in prayer and ask for your purpose to be revealed and for your capacity to be activated.
Then “Study to show yourself approved…” (2 Timothy 2:15, AKJV). Study. Improve. Work hard. Do not give up. There is gold in you, it just needs fire to bring it out. You were born with great gifts. Perhaps you have not been able to identify them – dig a little deeper, they are there. Believe me when I say you can make a difference.
Then you need to find someone to talk to. Unburden yourself to a godly counsellor. Do not be governed by the fear of rejection, there are people that will not judge you.
I decree that every covering cast, shroud, veil over you is destroyed. I prophesy that nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. You are no longer Shrinking Violet. I declare that you are Sunflower – vibrant, radiant, valued and desired! And I declare, as always, that the Lord is your strength!
onyinye.cn@kda.org.ng