A consequence of a ministry downsizing or position loss , as well as anything of major importance to us, is a feeling of insignificance. We may try to restore our significance in materialistic, earthly ways- wearing the latest designer clothes or coupling our identity with a favorite sports team.
Max Lucado (Fearless) notes what happens when we feel like one big zero: “Fear of insignificance creates the result it dreads, arrives at the destination it tries to avoid, facilitates the scenario it desires.” Furthermore, we’re disagreeing with God and second-guessing His taste. Psalm 139:14 tells us that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made”.
Max relates and quotes an e-mail that a woman sent to Women of Faith after attending their weekend conference. She discussed a scene from the movie Hook, where an aging, overweight Peter Pan is unrecognizable. It is only when a little boy moves Peter’s skin around and reshapes his face that the familiar Peter Pan emerged-“There you are.” As the conference progressed, the woman commented: “I could feel God’s hand on my face, pushing away all the ‘stuff’ I had brought. And then I could hear Him say, ‘There you are. There you are.’ ”
God is saying that to us. He sees us and loves what He sees.
