WHAT IS YOUR KEYWORD

How many of you are social media savvy? How many of you know what a hashtag is? For the longest time, I couldn’t figure out why people were using the “pound” symbol and then saying something immediately after that. Example: #50isnotdold. In case you were like me, and you have no idea what the # symbol means, it is a search engine of sorts. People can tag their posts with a keyword on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, or Instagram with these symbols, and then people who are searching for that symbol will be directed to their posts.

I was watching a video the other day where this mother of a six-year-old was talking about parenting skills. The mother thought that she was doing a pretty good job raising a strong and confident daughter until she found a handwritten note from her daughter that said, “I am the worst.” The mother was horrified when she saw the note. Why did her daughter believe that? Was something happening in her daughter’s life that she didn’t know? After a heart to heart talk with her daughter later that night, she found out that the daughter was feeling bad because she had fought with her brother. The mother went on to explain that everyone has feelings of regret or shame, but that she should never say things like that to herself and that she should never write negative things down about herself.

Whoops, I am guilty. I have labeled myself with a harmful lie instead of looking for the positive lesson. I am on social media more than most of you, and I have seen some of these hashtag statements that make me want to cringe. I saw a girl that tried on a prom dress that didn’t look the best, and she used #ugly and #fat in her post. Of course, people came running to her rescue and told her that she looked great, maybe that wasn’t the right dress for her. The Bible says it this way:

Psalm 139:14

¹⁴ I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

I have watched people struggle with divorce on social media. I understand how hard it can be to be rejected by someone you thought loved you and then tossed you aside. I know that this is the perfect setting for the lies to rear their ugly head and thoughts enter your mind. #nobodylovesme #iwillneverbehappyagain Once again, these are lies, the enemy loves whispering these over and over again. But there is ONE who loves you more than life.

John 3:16

¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

I have a couple of friends that have recently lost their jobs. Those same thoughts of being rejected, of not being good enough start playing in our minds. #whatamigoingtodo #iamnotgoodenough #iwillneverfindanotherjobthatgood But, we never stop to consider that there might be something even better on the horizon.

Deuteronomy 31:6

⁶ Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Jeremiah 29:11

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

I am not sure why our brains immediately think the worst of every situation. Yes, there will be storms, but the sun will come out again. You may feel inadequate now, but the path that you are on is going to make you stronger than before.

Here is one more hashtag for you; it is #rigged. From now on, every time that a lie is whispered in your ear, I want you to replace the lie with #rigged. No matter what the circumstance, it is #rigged in your favor. It might take a while for the blessing to reveal itself, but keep looking, because it is coming. Who are you going to believe…the enemy who wants to keep you miserable or the Lord who loves you and wants the best for you?

Have A Blessed Day!