Living from Value

WEEKLY OVERVIEW

In our first week of Catalyst, we’ll explore seven answers to the heart’s most important question: “Why?” Until we understand why spending time alone with God every day is worth the time and energy it takes, we’ll never be able to develop consistency or go as deep into God’s presence as we were created for. May you realize both the depth of your need and the goodness and availability of your Father as you discover your why.

DEVOTIONAL

A powerful by-product of time alone with God is discovering that we are valuable enough for God to meet with. If our Creator cares enough for us to speak to us, to give us a sense of his presence, to take our burdens and give us peace, then no man and no devil can tell us that we’re not valuable. If God tells us that we’re loved, then that means we are lovable. And what’s more, when Jesus took on flesh and died on the cross, he communicated the depth of God’s love for us once and for all. God so longed for a restored relationship with you that he sent his only Son to pay the highest price for your sin. 

Even though the reality of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection is so foundational, so central to my faith, I find I need to be reminded of it every day if I am to experience the fullness of its fruit. I am so quick to believe that I’m worthless when I do the first thing wrong. I’m so prone to listen to and believe what the world says rather than tuning my ear to the still, small voice of my heavenly Father. 

We aren’t meant to live seeking our value from the world around us. 

Spending time alone with God every morning reminds me of my value. It fills me with the courage I need to live from a place of understanding my true value, of seeing myself as God sees me. Every morning, I need the Lord to speak over me in a fresh way the words, “Fear not . . . you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:31). 

Experiencing God’s presence reminds me every morning that true satisfaction is only found in abiding with God and equips me to live fulfilled instead of seeking fulfillment in the world. Experiencing heaven come to earth reminds me that I am not home here and gives me peace no matter what trials come my way. Responding to God’s love with my own love helps me to worship God alone and place no idol before him. 

We aren’t meant to live seeking our value from the world around us. We were meant to live from the revelation that we are already valuable enough for God to give his life for us no matter what we do or say. 

Take time today in guided prayer to discover how immensely valuable you are to God. Search his heart and find that he so longed for a relationship with you—specifically you—that he would send his only Son to die just to have you. Allow a sense of God-worth to spring up within you that all striving for value from the world would cease in light of God’s limitless love.

GUIDED PRAYER  

1. Meditate on John 3:16. Think about what this verse really means for you, of how immense God’s love is specifically for you. 

2.  Where has the world told you that you’re not valuable? Where are you striving to prove to others that you’re worth something? Bring it all before God and lay it at his feet. 

3.  Ask God for a revelation of how valuable you are to him. Ask him how he feels about you. Take a moment to listen to whatever he would say. Pay attention to any sense you get. And rest in the revelation of your value to God.

 

GO . . . 

Think of how much more you could offer the world if you were able to live from a daily revelation of your intrinsic value to God. You weren’t made to live apart from the truth that you’re valuable. If you’re not receiving that revelation from God, you’ll seek to receive it from the world. Discovering your value to God every morning is foundational to loving others well; therefore, it is foundational to advancing God’s kingdom. May you find peace in God’s unconditional love and rest from the need to prove your worth to the world around you. And may you bear eternal fruit as you love others without the need to receive anything in return.