Worth: Recovering Our Value

Recovering Our Value
Divorce, unplanned pregnancy, death of a spouse, or leaving an abusive relationship can shake our sense of who we are. So much of our identity gets wrapped up in the roles we play, and we sometimes let our value be defined by external circumstances.
Four things that can help when it comes to knowing our value is 1) reverence, 2) refuting lies, 3) replacing lies and 4) remembering the truth .
Reverence
Value starts with reverence, ascribing worth and honor to God. This is the most important anchor point for our value. We have a Creator who sits on a throne. To understand ourselves, we must understand Who created us. We are not mistakes. When we know and believe that God is real, powerful, and praiseworthy, it helps us realize our value too. We were intentionally designed for a purpose by our Creator. This is the foundation of our value. Our value starts with God. Knowing Him helps us understand ourselves and our value.
Solo Parent Society founder, Robert Beeson, began to reverence God  more when he began to make space to just get still before Him. As a single dad, he found himself questioning things and needing rest. Ultimately, he started asking God to help him in his unbelief. In those quiet, honest moments, he began to realize how big God is and how powerful He is. In the stillness, he started to reverence God and to realize that God put him on this earth for a reason. He started to realize his value in a deeper way.
Nothing we say or do changes our value. Our greatest accomplishments or failures do not affect our value. We are made in God’s image, covered by His grace, and empowered by His presence. We are His and we belong to Him. This is the most amazing testament to our value. We were created in love by our Divine Creator.
Refuting lies 
To recognize our value, we must also be able to refute lies. Each of us has been damaged in some way by false beliefs about ourselves, lies we’ve been told or believed from our family of origin, a significant other, former spouse, or other people. These voices diminish our value, so we need to identify what those voices are saying and recognize them as lies.
The enemy wants us to believe the lies. He has come only to “steal, kill, and destroy”. As lies confront us, we must ask instead, “Who does God say you are?”. Sometimes we feel comfortable believing lies. We get so used to them, they become normal. The truth can be more difficult for us to believe but we must intentionally identify lies and refute them.
What is one lie you need to refute?
Replace lies with Truth
In our solo parent journey, we may have believed many lies. We must remember that what the enemy or others meant for harm, God can turn for good. God shows up when we are at the end of ourselves. When the lies come up, it’s important to replace them with the truth. There is no condemnation in Christ. We are fearfully and wonderfully made, with purpose, for a purpose. God can turn our weaknesses into strength. Isaiah 42:16 says, “I will lead the blind by a way they did not know. I will guide them on paths they have not known. I will turn darkness to light in front of them and rough places into level ground. This is what I will do for them. I will not forsake them.” As we identify lies and replace them with truth, remember God is on your side, making a way for you.
What truth can you remember to replace the lie you believed?
Remember
We need to remember the truth every single day. The lies of the world and the enemy of our souls are constantly after us to discourage us and convince us we are not valued. This is a constant battle. Part of maintaining a healthy sense of value is remembering the truth of who God is and of who we are.
We have to do this intentionally. Ask God to help you see yourself and your value through His eyes. We are under attack from a barrage of lies and worldly perspectives that require constant reframing in the truth. We can do this by reading God’s word, surrounding ourselves with healthy voices, and staying connected to God and His people.
Staying rooted and grounded in a healthy sense of value requires intentionality. Single parents can find themselves questioning their value especially after experiencing broken relationships and unexpected changes. It is crucial to remember we are valued not by what we say or do, not by a role we play, but intrinsically valued, because we were created by a loving Father. Lean into Him. That is where your value comes from!
As you walk the journey of single parenting, we want to help you any way we can. Join our Solo Parent Society community by participating in one of our online groups meeting every week. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram (@soloparentsociety). Subscribe to our weekly podcast via AccessMore or wherever you get your podcasts and download our Solo Parent app FREE in the app store. We love to connect single parents to resources that offer hope and help. If you want to donate so we can reach more single-parent families, go to www.soloparentsociety.com. Questions? Email us at info@spsociety.com.