He who learns must suffer. And even in our sleep, pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart, and in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God.
— Aeschylus
If your life isn’t what you want it to be, it may be because you’re telling yourself the wrong story. You are not the mistakes you’ve made. You are not the labels put on you by other people. You are who God says you are. Anything less is false humility. If you want to change your life, start by changing your story.
Abraham thought he was too old. Jeremiah thought he was too young. Moses thought he was unqualified. Joseph thought he was overqualified. Gideon had an inferiority complex. Jonah had a superiority complex. Peter made too many mistakes. Nathanael was too cool for school. Paul had a thorn in the flesh. And King David was the runt of the litter.
None of that matters! Who you are is not the issue. What really matters is whose you are. You are God’s workmanship. You are more than a conqueror, and nothing can change that. It is what it is; it is who you are. The significance of that truth is this: no one can take your place. No one can worship God like you or for you. No one can serve others like you or for you.
You’re not the product of a broken home, a devastated economy, a world in the upheaval of war, a minority group, a family of drunkards, or a poverty-ridden neighborhood. You are the product of your own thinking processes and whatever you’re thinking about today is the cornerstone of your tomorrow. If someone else has hurt you in the past, it’s okay to give them credit for fouling up your past, but do not give them permission to ruin your present and your future. You are God’s workmanship. Take control of your thoughts and your future.
— Thomas Sikking