Dad kissing child by Devi Yahya via Unsplash
Who Are You

He calls me good

My greatest fear is that I’ll disappoint you. That I’ll fall short of your esteem, that your trust in me will be in vain. It’s partially out of pride, partially people-pleasing, but more than that, it’s because I want to be good

I want to make you smile, to bring you joy, to ensure you can count on me.

And when I don’t, the worst punishment isn’t losing face—it’s losing favor. It’s seeing even the momentary flicker of hurt and knowing I caused it.

To disappoint means I’ve failed. I’m unworthy. I’m nothing.

But that is not what God says about me.

He calls me a good and faithful servant, His child in whom He is well pleased (Matt 25:23).

He forgives my iniquity, removes it to impossible lengths, and then forgets it (Heb 8:12).

He values me more than His own life; to Him, I’m everything (Phil 2:6-11; Rom 5:8).

And either I believe that, or I don’t.

Will I disappoint you?

Probably. Almost guaranteed.

Will I disappoint Him?

Never.


This post is part of Five-Minute Friday. This week’s prompt is DISAPPOINT. If you’d like to join in the fun, click here!

4 thoughts on “He calls me good”

  1. I’m almost in tears as I read this. My oldest son turned 18 this week, my younger son is struggling through middle school, and I’ve been struggling with the idea of not having done the right things for them. Your words were beauty and balm.

    Amie, FMF #19

  2. I know that God is proud of me,
    though I bet sometimes He sighs
    when I stand on my own dignity,
    and then He rolls His eye.
    I know I was made with care
    by Universe’s master,
    and even when I blow hot air,
    He won’t call me ‘disaster’.
    I know that His joyful smile
    must sometimes hide some pain
    when I cannot go a mile
    ‘fore messing up again.
    I often fail, but in the end,
    it’s really cool to be God’s friend.

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