The Fast of Daniel – Day eighteen

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Ugly Duckling

 

I know what it’s like to be an ugly duckling. I experienced it as a teenager, among schoolmates, at work and even at the church where I came to know my Lord and Savior.

Thank God for humble origins and a lower-middle-class upbringing. If it weren’t for them, only God knows where I would be today.
I became acquainted with the difficulties of being poor. On the other hand, I learned the value ​​of being humble, especially when it came to the value of keeping your word. My parents were my heroes.

Later on, this helped when it came to believing the Word of God. If I valued my parents’ word, though they were flawed humans, imagine the word that comes out of the mouth of God.

Today, whenever I see people who are ragged, suffering, mistreated and abandoned, I am reminded of my past. Although, I was never ragged because my parents gave us everything we needed for our education.
But truth be told, the only place I felt human and not like an ugly duckling was at home.

Right now you may feel ignored, empty, sad and like the world is falling apart around you.
But Jesus came for people like you and me—life’s ugly ducklings. People who are simple, lost, and above all, humble in spirit. He found me and is certainly finding you right now.
I don’t even know why I'm writing this to you.
But I believe His Spirit has touched me and is now using me to touch you.

What you have or have not done does not matter, nor does your long list of sins and much less your sad and empty past. What others think of you does not matter either...
What really matters is what He thinks of you.
He loves you and is showing this right now by embracing your whole being.
You know something: He has just found you right now!

While you are reading this, the Spirit of Jesus is rebuking the weight of your guilt, condemnation and past sins.
Your thoughts are changing, your emptiness is being filled.
A new day is being born for you. Sadness is giving way to joy and at this very moment, you don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Something very powerful is happening inside of you. It’s the Holy Spirit creating a new life within you.

Praise God!
Welcome to the family of God.