Let's face it, this world is a scary place, especially lately, and it seems to be getting worse all the time. Musicians, actors, teachers, politicians, and “social media influencers” all seem to have an agenda they are pushing and they aren't even being subtle about it anymore. A growing hostility is rising around subjects that not so very long ago were considered a commonsense truth, yet have somehow suddenly become their exact opposite. In generations past, no one carried a mini-computer in their pocket to secretly record the worst moments of the day, edit them to somehow be worse and then upload them for quite literally the entire planet to see. Even so recently as 20 years ago, the tragedies of high school or middle school could stay largely hidden in that past, because as people grew and moved those things were forgotten. However, kids of all ages today face unique challenges that their predecessors did not. Every generation tells those who came before them that they don't understand what they endured, but for this current generation, those words are not simply the result of an over-dramatic teenager.
Being told that you should be ashamed of the race you were born into or that your gender is in fact not contained in your DNA are just two of the challenges facing the youth of America today. Being told that you were raised in a country that is evil at its core, that if you don't speak out about issues of racism you are complicit in them and that being proud of your flag and its history is wrong go directly against everything every previous generation learned in school. Now, does that mean that the “old, archaic” ways are right and the “new, progressive” ways are wrong? Is gender contained in your cells or can it be changed? Is America a deeply racist and evil nation? Is silence violence? These and many other topics seem to bombard young people mercilessly and sometimes it can be hard to know where to turn when around every corner someone different is claiming to have the answers.
Each week we're going to tackle a new topic facing the youth of America on a daily basis and see what the Bible has to say on the subjects. Firstly, young ladies of all ages we are going to start with you. We are going to explore what it means to be “fearfully and wonderfully made”, what it means to be designed and why who you as a daughter of the King can never be called into question.
Fearful and Wonderful
“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.” Psalm 139:14
So, we have the verse that says it, but what does that actually mean? The following is a purely literal translation;“Fearfully when translated from the Hebrew means with great reverence, heart-felt interest, and with respect. Wonderfully when translated from the Hebrew means unique and set apart.” *www.fearfullyandwonderfullymadeobgyn.com So, that means that you; young lady, daughter of the King, child of God were created, let's stop there first of all. You were created, you did not hatch, you did not poof into existence with a magical sneeze and you are not the result of trillions and gajillions of years of evolution. No, you were created, you were formed, and you were sculpted with great interest. You were built with respect and reverence to be set apart and unique. The God of the Universe designed you long before you were ever even a thought to either one of your parents. The Bible also says in Ephesians 1:4, “Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” Before any of the animals, before any of the people ever walked the earth, thousands of years before this day the Lord chose you. He chose you, He wanted you, reflect on that for a moment. God loved you so much that He decided that you, exactly the young lady you are right now, belonged on this earth, He crafted you and formed you. So, if what the Bible says is true, which we know it is, and you were sculpted and created before the foundations of the earth and you were made with great interest and reverence, then how could you possibly have been born “wrong”?
I'm sure you've heard the analogy of the potter at the wheel shaping a lump of clay into a beautiful vase or bowl or lamp. He takes his time and lovingly and carefully takes something unrecognizable and with effort and care makes it into something amazing. There may be days that you feel like that lump of clay being formed and shaped, you may feel God moving in your life and sculpting you into the woman you will one day become. Your prayer life is on track, your relationship with your parents and siblings are all going well, you have friends and you feel like your life has a clear direction.
You know without a doubt that you are a created soul chosen by a God who loves you. Of course, there are the other days as well. There may be days when you don't feel unique or set apart, there may be days when you don't feel like you're doing the whole “girl” thing right. Maybe you can't contour your face, or your bangs aren't on “fleek” or you haven't mastered the winged eyeliner look. Maybe it's more than that, maybe no one talks to you, or you don't have the same feelings about the same guys that all of your friends have. Maybe you're starting to wonder if you were just born “wrong”. Maybe you start questioning your entire identity because you feel like a square peg trying to fit into a round hole, maybe the awkwardness is just too much and every single day feels like more effort than it's worth to even get out of bed. I sincerely wish I could tell you that there is an easy or even less painful solution to these situations, but you already know there isn't.
The very first thing I will strongly encourage you to do is talk to your parents or a pastor, someone in your life that you trust about these feelings. It may seem like they are out of touch, but they can't understand or help if they don't know what is hurting you. The second thing that I will strongly encourage you to do is open your Bible. Memorize the verses we discussed in this post and hold them in your heart.
Take time every day to acknowledge that you are God's creation and that He loves you. He took the time to make you who you are and wants to guide you toward who you will one day become. Don't lose sight of His incredible plan, don't let someone take your worth from you. You, daughter of the King of Kings, are a miracle who was created and formed with a purpose. Stand firm in that knowledge, always remember that you are fearfully and wonderfully made.
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