Beauty, Truth and Music

Do you ever have times when you feel like you've lost all confidence in who you are?  When you feel hopeless and defeated in the battles you're trying to fight - and start to feel the ache of doubt and fear that you are really accepted or loved... or even worthy of love?

I do.  It can be tough.  But the beauty of trusting in Jesus is that I am accepted and loved and worthy.  And this acceptance and love and worth is not because of me or anything I've done, it's because of what Jesus has done on the cross.  Which never changes.  However I'm feeling, or however much I mess up.  If it depended on me, what a shaky roller-coaster ride my salvation and assurance would be!  What joy and peace lies in knowing Jesus is the solid, unchanging basis of my worthiness.  Yet how easily I seem to forget even this incredible truth, in the midst of my failure, weakness and emotion.  So, I'm incredibly thankful for the Bible, for times of prayer, and for the counsel of good friends - all of which remind me of what the truth is.

Lately (and always!) I've also been finding music an incredible reminder of where my hope lies, and a way ti have truth living in my heart day-to-day.  Thank you, God, for artists who evidently share my very same struggles, thoughts and battles, and write music about them... and whose songs remind us of the Truth with which we fight these battles, and that we already have victory, because of Jesus.  Jason Gray is one artist that I absolutely love, for so many of his songs deal with the struggles I find myself in over and over again.  This song is really precious to me at the moment.

Tell me once again who I am.