Nothing to Prove - Ivory Nedu

“Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don’t make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won’t be applauding. When you do something for someone else, don’t call attention to yourself . . . When you help someone out, don’t think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.” Matthew 6:1–4 (MSG)

Fresh out of college, I was a rookie designer working in an advertising agency. It was a time where I learnt so many valuable lessons and some very hard truths about myself. We were working tirelessly on projects for the sole purpose of winning awards. Initially I started with the dream and desire to make a difference; to use creativity to bring glory to God, but slowly I began to be disillusioned by it all. Striving, losing purpose and doing it all for the wrong reasons. I believed that it was all about accolades and awards. That being recognised and seen for your ability is more important even at the cost of compromising your values.

There’s nothing wrong to be celebrated for hard work but when you look to the applause of man, to validate who you are - starving for attention, I can promise you, you will only be left empty.

One day I was crying at my desk after we had won all the awards but everything within me still felt it was all meaningless. Just like it was said in Ecclesiastes - Chasing for more, chasing after the wind. “MEANINGLESS! Everything is meaningless!”

I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. Ecclesiastes 1:14 (NIV)

Crying to God I said  “What is the whole point of it all?”  “What can I do for YOU Lord?” 

That’s when I heard Him say “There's nothing that you can or cannot do  that will make Me love you less. I love you because you are my daughter.” Since then, this revelation had completely changed the entire trajectory of my life and brought so much purpose to everything I do. 

While the world
measures
success by
our performance,
the Lord looks
at our heart. 

I’ve discovered that I have nothing to prove to anyone, that my worth is who He says I am. No awards, honors and recognition can ever fulfill my life. Only He can satisfy my soul - Our Lord Jesus Christ, who deserves all the glory and all the praise in the world, came to us not to be served, but to serve and laid down His life for us

DAUGHTER OF A KING 

“Remember who you are” - and I’m not only quoting Lion King! 

A Swiss psychiatrist named Carl Jung once said, "The world will ask you who you are, and if you don't know, the world will tell you" 

The moment you lose sight of who He says you are, you will find your identity in different things (it could be your relationship, your work, your title, your talents) and that will leave you feeling empty and it will never be enough. 

Recently at a woman’s meeting, Pastor Jemima hit the nail on the head with this one - and brought so much perspective on being a daughter. 

"You are first and foremost His daughter. When you know who you are and whose you are, you will be the best wife, the best mom and the best leader " - Pastor Jemima

How liberating! My identity is first a daughter of a King. I don't have to "have it all" "do it all", I don’t have to be the “Pinterest mom”  ”insta worthy” wife or an “award winning” leader. I don’t have to be perfect or more than, I just need to be faithful. 

In my weakness, turning my eyes on Him with complete dependance on the Holy Spirit, giving my best and just BE the mother and wife He chose me to be! When you walk as a daughter of the most High King, you will have unwavering confidence. You talk different, you walk different. The enemy is afraid of this! A woman who knows who she is in Christ is a powerful woman. 

Don't let our culture define you. Don’t let the world tell you that you need to prove your value. Heaven paid a price for you!

May I encourage you that you are not defined by your title. You are not defined by your relationship status.You are more than what you earn. You are more than what you do. You are more than enough. Daughter - is who you are. 

WORSHIP 

Right after my son was born, I decided to come off work to be a stay at home mom. One day as I was washing dishes, my mind spiralled into self pity mode and wallowed on how I'm missing out on doing the "bigger things in life" I said grudgingly in my heart. "All that I’m doing is washing dishes and scrubbing toilet bowls right now". Holy Spirit gently said to me "...well then, you better make sure it's the shiniest sink and toilet bowl anyone has ever laid their eyes on!" I burst out in laughter and immediately repented! 

I felt Him say to me if you can't worship God in the mundane you won't be able to worship Him truthfully in the big things. Ouch! 

With the revelation of who you are, you can invite the Lord into every area of your life. Even in the most boring task, in the 9-5, in the hiddenness where no one is watching, in the waiting - do it unto the audience of one, wholeheartedly.

My most memorable encounters with God had been in the secret place. It's in the place of hiddenness that is where character is being developed. That’s where He prepared me for many things in my life. I’ve learnt that if you can’t serve in the small things, the big things will crush you. Often times we applaud people on big platforms for what they do but we forget the preparation that goes behind the scenes.

In your workplace, in your homes, in whatever season you’re in - the Father sees you, you are not forgotten. He loves you. He thinks the world of you.

While you work hard on your next project, give it to God, let Him be your CEO. Worship him with your talents. While you change a poopy nappy at night, thank Him for the privilege to raise a world changer!

When you understand this, what Paul says in Colossians about doing everything unto Him; your doing comes from the overflow of being His daughter. 

Knowing you are His beloved, your whole life is an act of worship. No longer needing the approval of man and praise from the world. Nothing is too small or too big. You start giving your best and your all because He is worthy of our worship. More than just singing some songs on a Sunday but it permeates every single area of our lives.

“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.”  (Colossians 3:23-24)

LIVING WITH ETERNITY IN MIND

Living with eternity in mind changes everything!

Earlier this year, I lost someone dear to my heart to kidney failure - he was like a father to me. He took care of me and my siblings and loved us like his own children. Growing up all I could ever remember was his kindness, his deep love for others, how he had faithfully served others even when nobody was watching. You will probably never know him but heaven knows the impact he had on my life. 

After he died, I spent so many nights thinking about the people in my life who yet to know Jesus. I began to ask myself, what will I leave behind when I die? What will I be known for? What legacy will I leave behind for my son?

One of the greatest revivalist - Kathryn Kuhlman did so many incredible things in her lifetime. She was an amazing woman of God, so yielded to the Holy Spirit, her meetings would often be packed to maximum capacity. But in every book that was written about her - she was KNOWN for the “woman who believed in miracles” and “a woman who simply loved God” Love was her driving force for her life and ministry. Not the size of her stage, nor the number of her crowd. Love was her motivation and as a result many were healed and many souls were added to the Kingdom.

“The greatest human attainment in all the world is for a life to be so surrendered to Him that the name of God Almighty will be glorified through that life.” – Kathryn Kuhlman

Let it be known in our lives for our love for God and let it be so that we point people back to Jesus. To live out the greatest commandment given to us: To love God and to love people with all your heart, all your soul.

At the end of my life, the only reward and recognition that will ever matter and the only thing I want to hear when I see Him face to face would be “Well done, my child, you have been faithful to me”

Written by Ivory Nedu
Ivory is married to Caleb and together they live in Kuching and are both on team at Kingdomcity.