Sometimes, I will read a passage and then chase it down in the Bible for understanding.

He has remembered his love
and his faithfulness to Israel;
Psalm 98:3

This reminded me of a Dr. Dharius Daniel’s quote, “When we read the Old Testament, we are reading about the character of God.” God shows repeatedly, his ability to use imperfect humans to accomplish his will and promises. God accepts us just as we are.

Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
2 Corinthians 12:7-9

This “thorn” can show up anywhere in our lives. It can be mental, physical, emotional, financial, or spiritual. It is something that is making us feel weak and is causing us great difficulty, but God allows it to remain. We can look at this from a position of defeat, try to perfect ourselves to death, beg God to take it away, and/or use it to turn away from God completely.

We can look at the ‘thorn” from a position of victory. God is in control of everything. God allows it to happen because its character building. We are building resilience. The ‘thorn” can be there to remind us of our imperfect, perfection in God. It is there to build self-esteem; which is self-respect, self-acceptance, and self-love. The “thorn” is there to remind us of our humanity. It keeps us grounded and walking in empathy and compassion for ourselves and others.

Who is Israel that God wants to show his love and faithfulness to? I am Israel! You are Israel! We all are Israel!

Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
Galatians 3:7-9

Faith gives us access to God and his blessings. Everything that God promises to Abraham, He wants to give to us.

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
“I will make you a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”
Genesis 12:1-3

God loves you and he is faithful. He loves you just as you are and He will let you settle on the level you create for yourself. But, for the ones that accept His call, he calls you out to a level of living that requires you to leave the small system you’ve created for yourself and embrace the bigger life He wants and has designed for you. God wants to give you a great life. One that will require you to slay your fears and insecurities and to grab ahold to the greater one He desires for you. He wants your entire life to be blessed. And he will also come along side you and curse the people that curse you.

This reminds me of a psychology term called self-actualization. Even in psychology it is accepted that we need God for this level of living. It is the where personal potential is fully realized. It is to become everything that one is capable of becoming. It is also to be a producer of good to and for others.
This is what God wants to give us. He is just waiting on us to do the work!
This is also the sole purpose of this blog. I want to encourage you to seek God for yourself on a level you’ve never done. I want to help get us all to self-actualization. The other part of self-actualization is that we are producers of others being their highest self. Even if it is better than us/me. What God has for you is yours alone to share with others. It is not diminished because someone else is better or different.

Father/God, thank you for your word and this community. Give us all the tools and vision for the life you uniquely desire for us all! I ask it in Jesus name!
Amen!