In a World of Facebook and Filters, How Do I See What God Sees in Me?
- Melinda Eye Cooper Crosswalk.com Contributing Writer
- Published Jan 17, 2020
One rainy day, my husband came home from work and I met him on the back porch. The rain had just stopped and sunshine poured across the yard.
“Is there a rainbow?”
“Yep.” He pointed in the direction of our neighbor’s house. A rainbow lit up the sky above their home.
“It’s not very bright,” I said.
We both pulled out our phones and snapped pictures. Then he looked at me with a sly grin before we stepped inside the house and said, “You do realize you just complained about a rainbow.”
Yikes. The realization stopped me in my tracks. He was right. I complained. How in the world could I find fault with a rainbow? And why did I find fault?
I pondered my complaint all evening. Finally, it dawned on me why I thought it wasn’t quite bright enough. I had compared it to another rainbow.
A few years back, we saw the most beautiful, double rainbow by our house and it seemed to end right in our own backyard. It was the grandest rainbow I’ve ever seen.
But just because I’d seen a brighter, more magnificent one didn’t diminish the fact that God gave another rainbow for all to enjoy. It was probably bigger and brighter to someone else and maybe it landed in their backyard, too.
Comparing rainbows, or ourselves in all areas, is a terrible trap—exacerbated by social media. Using filters is commonplace these days. They’re built-in on Instagram. Our phones allow pictures to be filtered before posting them to Facebook.
It’s easy to compare ourselves or our lives with those who are putting their best foot forward using fancy filters to make themselves look better in every possible way.
Truth is, it’s fun to snap silly pictures with family and friends using different types of filters. But it’s not so fun when we find ourselves complaining because we’ve compared ourselves to someone else and we begin to find fault.
They’re happier than I am.
They’re more attractive than I am.
They look 10 years younger than they are...when I look in the mirror, I see wrinkles and age spots already.
Comparison can steal our happiness, self-worth, and joy. It can dull the brightness of what God has given to us. If you’ve found yourself falling into the comparison trap or doubting your worth, reflect on these seven ways God sees you:
1. God Sees a Treasure
When we find fault through comparison and complain about ourselves, our self-esteem can go right down the toilet. But no matter how down we get on ourselves, know that God considers His children to be a treasured possession. Our life is a precious gift.
We are His and He loves us like no one else ever will. You are treasured.
And the Lord has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. – Deuteronomy 26:18
2. God Sees a Wonderful Creation
It’s easy to pick out our own flaws. We live in our bodies so long that we start to get on our own nerves.
We may not like a particular feature on our face or maybe we hate how our second toe is longer than our big toe. Everyone has something they wish they could change. But God made us wonderfully. No one else is like you.
You may see flaws, but God sees His lovely creation. Embrace that second toe and show it some love. God made it and He knows what He’s doing.
God’s works are wonderful and you are, too.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well. – Psalm 139:14
3. God Sees Someone He Delights In
When we’re disappointed in ourselves, we feel anything but delighted. Maybe we don’t get to church as often as we’d like. Maybe we lost our job or disappointed someone we love. It happens and usually at the worst possible time.
But we have a creator who knows we’re not perfect. He actually delights in us. Another way to say delight is great pleasure. He takes great pleasure in us.
The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love. – Psalm 147:11
4. God Sees an Overcomer
Most everyone loves to use a good filter because we want to look better than we really are.
Spiritually, Jesus is the best filter ever and makes us better than we could ever be on our own. Through Him, we are made right with God. Through Him, we can do all things because He gives us strength. Through Him, our sins are as far away from us as the East is from the West.
We can overcome whatever shortfalls or issues we deal with in life through Him.
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. – 1 John 4:4
5. God Sees You Protected
With Jesus in our hearts, we have God on our side.
That doesn’t mean we won’t have trouble or we won’t feel afraid at times. But we have a great defender and protector.
You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. – Psalm 32:7
6. God Sees a Deeply Loved Child
Let’s face it. Social media can be very shallow. People ‘like’ without even reading what you’ve written. Or they withhold their like for no reason at all. Though it’s fun and everyone is doing it, we can never count our self-worth by how many likes or shares our post or photo receives.
It almost seems cliché to say “God loves you.” But it’s so true. We can’t even comprehend His deep love for us. It’s a beautiful thing. You are deeply loved.
But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:8
7. God Sees Blessed
It’s hard to feel confident when we’ve compared ourselves to someone else and we begin to feel insecure. But when we lack confidence in ourselves, we can trust God and have confidence in Him. We’re blessed because we know that God is completely trustworthy.
But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, and whose confidence is in him. – Jeremiah 17:7
If you’ve felt the sting of comparison, as many have, take a look at yourself through the filter of Jesus Christ and know that God sees you as treasured, wonderfully-made, delightful, an overcomer, protected, deeply loved, and blessed.
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. – John 15:9
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/SHODOgraphy
Melinda has been honored to be a Selah Awards finalist for online articles and a finalist for the 2023 Writer of the Year Award with Serious Writer.
Her non-fiction book “Cross My Heart” is available here. Visit her website here to receive blog posts via email. You can follow her on Facebook here or Instagram here.
