The inner self

I have always been intrigued by Russian Dolls or Matryoshka Dolls as they are formally known. They are a little set of dolls, usually made of wood, that can be opened by separating the top from the bottom, revealing a smaller doll inside which can also be opened revealing another doll and so on.

 

Matryoshka Dolls.

 

I'm not sure if intrigued or enchanted is the right word for how I feel about these dolls but either way I've always loved them! I stitched some cross stitch cards featuring these dolls back in the summer and enjoyed making them.

 

 

It wasn't until I had my own girls that I bought a Russian Doll and they enjoyed playing with it...so much so, our doll consists of a set of 4 not 5 dolls now! Where it went to, we'll never know.

 

It was whilst I was sat in church this morning that it got me thinking about this set of dolls.

It was initially because we sang a song called Shine. The chorus says:

Shine, from the inside out, that the world will see you live in me.

'You', meaning God.

 

What we see on the outside is not always the person on the inside. We reveal ourselves to people on different levels. It's usually the ones we love and whom we're closest to that see who we really are and know us best. Sometimes what we're going through or have been through is pushed deep down within us because we're sad about it, perhaps we're ashamed about it. You can't always tell from the outside what someone is battling with in their life, be it addiction, abuse, depression, loss, debt or illness.

We just can't see it. The layers that we build up around us are sometimes a way of burying all that and protecting ourselves. The

 inside is in conflict whilst we put on a face for the outside world.

 

I want you to know that God sees the inside. He knows you, He created you.

 

Psalm chapter 139 verse 13 says:

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.

 

1 Samuel chapter 16 verse 7 says:

For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.

 

Nothing is hidden from God. I encourage you to pour out your heart to him. Help him to heal you and reveal the real you. Don't feel ashamed of who you are. As I said last week, the things you have gone through have made you the person you are! And if you are struggling with issues right now that no one else can see and no one else knows about, share it with God. Tell Him. How? Pray. Just talk to Him. He wants to help you.

Don't put on a face and pretend the world is ok when inside you feel like curling up in a ball and hiding away. I have done that in the past and the reality is, you need to let others see the real you to enable them to support and help you.

 

In fact, if it would help, put an anonymous prayer request at the bottom of this blog if you feel you can't pray, perhaps I can do it for you :) Doesn't matter that I don't know who you are, He does and that's what matters!

 

 

Going back to the song we sang at church this morning, well, I believe that since I gave my life to God, He is living in me. That doesn't make me perfect...I wish! But I am filled and renewed each day by His strength and face the challenges I face knowing He is guiding me. I like to think that I might touch others lives, support and help them, so that they might see Him at work in me. I'm hoping to shine... like the song says! :)

 

John chapter 1 verse 13-16 says:

 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.  And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.  And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

 

God is love...I know that and I hope you will know that too. He only wants the best for you...remember Jeremiah 29 verse 11 I mentioned in last Sunday's post? It says:

For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you hope and a future.

 

So, what I want to say is God knows the bigger picture, He knows what you're going through and He can help you.

And next time someone asks and you say you're fine, check... do you mean it? Or perhaps this person has been sent your way so you can share what's really going on in your life. I've experienced that my self this week and opened up to someone that really knew what they were talking about and it helped!

 

And finally, going back to what is on the outside...it's a cliche but they say 'beauty comes from within.'

 It doesn't matter what you look like on the outside it's what's on the inside that counts! I could do a whole other blog post on that especially in this day and age where beauty and perfection seem to be the most important thing to a lot of people, especially to our young people. Be true to yourself, be you!

There is only one you, you are unique and you are loved.

 

Hope you have a great week ahead. Love and prayers, Marie xx