The Lenten period is usually a time of reflection for me, and for so many others; this time around came with much more conviction and is potent enough to solve a self-esteem crisis, should we find ourselves in one.
Jesus, in the heights of his ministry was performing so many miracles; healing the sick, causing the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the lame to walk and the giving life to those who had passed. So, I would say things were going well for him, his fame grew across the land. Yet he left the company of others, maybe those who would have encouraged him, to be alone in the desert and be tempted by the devil. And if that wasn’t enough, when that was over to be betrayed to death by one he cared for.
Usually I think about this period in terms of salvation, but it comes home this year saying “Vanesia you’re worth it all” so yes, we are worth the sacrifice for it was made knowing we have a free will not to embrace salvation. I am not suggesting that we should take the sacrifice lightly and do anything we please, but for us to take a healthy approach which ultimately means we are worthy. We are worthy of the beauty of love, we are worthy of quality time, we are worthy of good health, we are worthy to experience the goodness of life, worthy of enjoying the blessing of family and friends, worthy of joy that comes with peace of mind and worthy of the fulfillment of self-actualization.
I, like many others grew up singing the song “I’m so unworthy”, which I think the point was to remind us to be humble. But many of us have taken it so literal that we do not see ourselves as being worthy to experience anything but pain. So, we stay in toxic relationships and environments, which have caused us to keep going around in circles, years later and we are in the same place. Yes, there are some of our experiences that really was to grow us up… but many of us stay when we know we shouldn’t. We are fearful of what others may think or what others will do, we are so scared of the unknown without realizing that the possibility also exist that it will go better than we imagined.
So, as the Lenten period ends, may we never forget that we are worthy, worthy of all the amazing things we dream of. I’m worthy and so are you!
