#soap # 1 Timothy 01 ## Title: The Lord Sees the True Us ## Scripture: (1 Timothy 1:12) “I am grateful to the one who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he considered me faithful in putting me into ministry,” (NET) ## Observation: The Bible says the heart is deceitfully wicked. We sometimes don’t even know it ourselves. We struggle with our identity because of the pressures of culture, the expectations of others, and our own inner critics. However, the Lord knows us. He knows our strengths, weaknesses, and what we are truly capable of being. Paul says that the strength to do what he was doing came from the Lord, because the Lord considered him trustworthy. The Lord saw something in him that he doesn’t seem to always understand himself. Think about it. Before Paul became a Christian, he hunted them down. After becoming a Christian, it appears many didn’t trust him. It wasn’t until Barnabas decided to trust Paul that others started coming around. There will be seasons when the only one who will believe in you is God. That’s okay. He knows better than we do. Trust His judgment more than your own and move forward. ## Application: Lean on who God says you are and get your ultimate identity from God’s Word. ## Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for knowing us.