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"God is desperate for us to see His Face. A victor isn’t looking for God’s “handouts,” he’s looking to see into the “soul” of the Father so that the victor will better understand who he is as seen through the eyes of God Himself."
As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 90.
It is said that the eyes are the window to the soul. There really is something to this statement. The eyes are such a great tell when it comes to what is going on inside. My eyes actually change color at times based on my mood.
I have always had this picture about my relationship with God. I want to be close enough to God to see my reflection in my God's eyes. I know that sounds weird but think about how powerful of a connection that would be. Wouldn't you like to see how God sees you? Wouldn't you like to look in to the eyes of the one that made you and who loves you so much?
I have to believe that if that were to happen I would never have identity problems again. I happen to think that much of the chaos that comes from our Victim Based Society results from the fact that we are searching so hard for who we are. Our search takes us to places where we just don't need to go. We end up doing things that cause damage to our own lives and to the lives of those around us. Not knowing who we are makes it possible for us to fall into victim thinking so deeply that we can become victimizers ourselves.
Oh how it would be different if we could just know who we are the way God sees us. Good news is, we can. Sure, my image of sitting in the lap of God looking into His eyes might not be possible in reality, but the results of what I would see staring into His eyes is plainly known. God calls us His Children. He says we are blameless and without fault. He has a level of trust in us that seems reckless and shortsighted at times. These facts and many more are spelled out in His word. In essence, we can look into the eyes of God by believing what He says about us in The Bible.
I wish that were enough for me to make my identity be more of the powerhouse of stability that I want it to be. I still fall into pits of despair as I let this world rob me of the joy of knowing who I am. When I wake up - God is still there calling me deeper into who He sees me to be. I'm not any less a victor when I lose my way as far as identity is concerned. God sees me as a victor even when I have bought into the lies that the world feeds me about who I am.
I love what today's Bible reading says on the subject. Check it out with me now.
People will insult you and hurt you. They will lie and say all kinds of evil things about you because you follow me. But when they do, you will be blessed. Matthew 5:11-12 (New Century Version)
The world is so good at hurting us. Lies and all kinds of evil things are said and done to us that make victims out of us all. It is when we start believing the lies and begin to believe that the evil will always win that victim thinking takes hold in our lives. It can be so hard to believe we are victors when the evil lies stack up against us.
Good news is that God is so much bigger than the evil behind the lies. One day the words of the evil doers in the world will be silenced. Until that day look at the promise of being called a Child of God in today's reading. You will be blessed! What an amazing promise that is.
I wish I could say with all certainty that that blessing meant that no harm will come to your good life. That just isn't something that can be guaranteed as long as evil is allowed dominion in this world. I do know that blessing has so much more to do with God's presence than it does with the goodies He might give us from time to time. It is when we recognize God's presence in our lives that we have the strength to stand against all the victimizing ways this world works into our lives. It is His presence that makes it possible to be a victor when victory is so absent in our lives.
Our gaze says a lot about our attitude when it comes to victor living and victim thinking. If we allow our gaze to be focused on this world for proof of who we are, victim thinking is going to be the result. If we shift our gaze higher - to the heavens - we begin to see ourselves the way God sees us. It is when we see ourselves from His prospective that we can begin to live this life in the power of victor living God intended for us to have.
As you go about your day, pay attention to what you are looking to for fulfillment and purpose. Don't let the lies of the world take you into deep are dark places. God has told you who you are - now live it out. Be the victor He has called you to be and let the power of that kind of living change the world around you today.
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