“O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Psalm 139: 1,13-14 NIV.

If someone belittled you as a child, you might still carry their words with you: “You’re not good enough. You’ll never amount to much. You’re stupid.”

Not only are those things NOT true, they’re like a barbed wire fence, holding you back from being the YOU you were created to be and hurting you when you try.

God wants to free you from those painful words. He knows the truth about you, and the truth is NOT the horrendous things someone else said to you from their place of anger, resentment, or from their own painful experience.

God designed every part of you. You are not a mistake. You didn’t just happen to come into this world by chance. He created you. You were wonderfully made by almighty God.

The same God who set the stars in place, who designed the universe to run as it does, took great care and delight as He knitted you together in your mother’s womb. Before you took a single breath, God knew all about you, and He loved you immediately.

Oh, if you could only begin to understand how much He adores you.

And His love for you never fades or diminishes. He doesn’t withhold it from you if you don’t “perform” to His expectations. He doesn’t take it away or give you the cold shoulder if you mess up.

When you feel like you’ve failed Him and worry that He won’t love you anymore, remember to do so would go completely against His character and His truth. His love is so much bigger than your mistakes.

Love isn’t just what God does. It’s who He is.

And when you ask Him to forgive you, He not only forgives you, but He also takes you right back into His arms like you never left.

Your heavenly Father cherishes you deeply. He created you in His image. You are His precious child. He would do anything for you, even die for you.

Don’t you see? Jesus did die for YOU. You are not worthless or unimportant and certainly not a mistake.

You are treasured.

Oh, dear soul, grab onto that truth and allow God to lead you away from the place of pain where the words of others may still linger and torment you.

And step into the luxurious presence of your heavenly Father, where He wraps His arms around you and lavishes His love on you.

Extravagantly. Forever.