Hiding Place: An 8-Day Devotional By Tori KellyBeispiel

## MASTERPIECE I don’t know about you, but when I wake up in the morning I don’t always feel like a masterpiece. There’s always a new insecurity that seems to make its way into my head and if I don’t stop it, it’ll grow until it binds me. All sorts of thoughts about myself press into my mind; some from within and some from the outside world. Whether it’s comparison to others, concerns about physical appearance and how much make up can actually do for me that day, or thinking I’m not worthy to be loved, I can believe lies about myself all the time. To drown out all the voices surrounding me, I need the word of God. I desperately need to hear what God thinks about me. Before letting the lies take root, I have to open myself to God’s voice even more than my own. One thing God says is that he created us each uniquely and without mistakes! Psalm 139:13 says, “for you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Before anyone decided what to name me, or even knew I existed, God created me with specific intention and purpose. But what about the actual flaws, failures and sins in my life? What about the times I have actually mistreated other people close to me, ignored the hurting people around me, or ignored the God who has given me everything I have? Even in these times God has the final word over shame. He says we are still his masterpiece because “he has created us anew in Christ Jesus.” Even in our struggles we are called clean, holy, and pure through simple faith in Jesus. He made us new, and does this again and again with “new mercies every morning” (Lamentations 3:22-23). Lord, help us to trust your voice above all other voices, including our own.