God loves you as you are, but you experience so much more of his love when you trust him to lead you to who you’re becoming. His love for you always includes an invitation to identity the negativity that needs to be left behind, and an upgrade in how you see, think, and feel about yourself and everything in your life.
He knows how difficult this might seem, because he knows your pain. In fact, he knows it so deeply, he isn’t willing to simply validate it and watch you stuff more of it down into the bottom of your heart. Even if you don’t know what the next season of your life looks like, you can be certain it’s a place you can breathe. A place he can heal your heart, renew your mind, and equip you to thrive beyond your negative experiences and present circumstances.
My favorite psalm describes it like this:
“He brought me out into a wide open, safe place. He rescued me, because he delights in me. He’s transforming my feet to be like a deer’s, empowering me to walk me on the high places with him. He’s training me to be a fearless warrior. His gentleness has completely changed my life” (Psalm 18).
He is the King of Instead, and you’re a royal heir of that kingdom. Instead of unending grief, he gives you unceasing joy (Psalm 30:11). Instead of worthlessness, he gives you beauty. Instead of oppressive heaviness, he gives you a song of celebration and a life of purposefulness (Isaiah 61:1-3).
Equip Your Spirit 