I re-connected with an old friend yesterday whom I had not seen in a long time. Before meeting up, she said over the phone, "When you see me, you're gonna get a big surprise..." Trust me when I tell you, after she arrived at my house, I was not at all expecting what I saw.
You see, my friend lost an enormous amount of weight, which completely transformed her look. I stood there on my porch with my mouth hanging open, unable to utter words...at least for a few seconds. It was pretty remarkable and she looks fantastic.
But after the initial shock of the dramatic weight loss passed and we began talking, I realized how much about my dear friend and how we relate to each other, had not changed. Though she looks different outwardly, my old friend I know and love is the same on the inside and we never missed a beat.
It's what's inside of her that draws me to her friendship. It is her pure heart, compassion, and love of life's simple pleasures... the things that really count.
That made me think about something that I want you to always remember...it is what goes on inside of us that makes us who we are. Our authentic self is not tied to what we wear, where we live, what we drive, what's in our bank account, or the image we put out. Rather, it is the "hidden man of the heart" that determines our make up.
So many times, we focus on the external, but God is more concerned about our internal state of being. What's going on in our hearts and minds? What emotional issues are we struggling with? What hurts have yet to be healed? These are the things that matter most and not all the other stuff we focus on.
Today, I encourage you to allow God to work on your insides. Let Him renew your mind, mend your heart, change your outlook, and shift your focus. Stop being so preoccupied with superficial things, which cause unnecessary anxiety and worry and tap into your true self. You'll find that as the inward transformation takes place, all the other things will begin lining up for you.
Now, let me warn you. Being more introspective and inward-focused will force you to deal with some issues and come face-to-face with yourself. Although that can be uncomfortable sometimes, it's worth the discomfort. That is, if you really want to know what drives you, motivates you, and makes you unique. I want you to begin to ask God to reveal the whole of who you are and work on those internal rough patches that need repair.
If you ask Him, He'll reveal what's really going on and transform you from the inside out. "The Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7 KJV).
So, what's inside? Joy? Peace? Worry? Faith? Doubt? Anger? Bitterness? Goodness? Unforgiveness? Love and compassion?
Ask God what's inside... only He knows and only He can repair those otherwise unreachable areas in need of restoration.
As always, thanks for reading, and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!
Update: By the way, the anointing of God met us mightily at Covenant of Grace Ministries. Souls were saved and the people of God were refreshed! Thank you all for your prayers.
Dianna Hobbs
