Embrace the encouragement! Embrace the compliments!

So I've realized that lately when I receive words of encouragement or compliments I act a bit bashful. Like I don't deserve to get that kind of encouragement or compliment. But that is completely the wrong thinking. In fact if you feel like you are unworthy of any good thing then that is a lie from the enemy. I just keep hearing the Lord say "Yes it's true! Believe it!" As people we tend to judge ourselves more harshly than we do anything else. Christian's especially have troubles receiving compliments because we feel that if we embrace compliments we are somehow taking the Glory from Him but that is completely false!

He gets glory from us and through us! We were created to be awesome so why do we not believe it when people tell us so? It's because we still live under the mindset of a sinner. We need to enter the mindset of a saint. We are the redeemed! He made us worthy! He made us awesome when He died on the cross. What we do matters. We matter. We make a difference. I know that sometimes when I have had a bad day and someone encourages or compliments me I think "If only they new what I was saying earlier today they wouldn't be saying that." But the thing is the Lord is reminding us through the people that encourage and compliment us that no matter what we are still awesome and He still loves us and is still proud of us!

We are going to mess up, no doubt. But that is why we have Jesus! He cleans up the mess! Not to say that we should intentionally do the wrong things. He is not just a free pass to do whatever we want but that's a new topic entirely :) He is so full of grace and love. More than we know. Every time we condemn ourselves He is saying the opposite! Whenever someone encourages us they are declaring out our identity in Christ. God is reminding us "Hey this is who you are! Don't forget that you are kind of a big deal!" :) God sent His son to die for us so that we may approach His throne in confidence. Fear should not even be in our vocabulary. We have nothing to fear for His perfect love takes it all away! Tell Him your fears! Sort it out with Him! Let Him show you that you really have nothing to be afraid of!

So embrace the encouragement! Embrace the compliments! Believe it! Declare it out!