Daily affirmations

"I'm Good Enough, I'm Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like Me!"
Daily Affirmations With Stuart Smalley from Saturday Night Live

I don't mean that kind of daily affirmation, but I thought that's what they meant when they first told me about it. Three weeks ago I started a new class at church for those interested in discipling others. Each week we go over basic information of our faith (more as a means to share it with others than confirm our own belief) and we have homework exercises to help us confirm what we know is true and memorize scripture.

Last week they began with the Daily Affirmations exercise. They gave us two sheets of 11 affirmations total. Before I read them I though, "Come on, really? Am I going to stand in front of the mirror and make myself believe this stuff?" Fortunately, I don't have to. These affirmations cover basic tenents of our belief: who God the Father is, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit; that I am fully loved by Him; my purpose is to love God and serve him in worship; things of that nature. To me they aren't so much daily affirmations, rather biblical truths. I only wish they had included scriptural references to back-up each affirmation.

As homework they've asked us to come up with five of our own affirmations. I've actually found this to be a rewarding activity. I chose five topics that I think are important for me to focus on, aside form the 11 already given. I also chose to look up Bible references for each to substantiate my affirmations. They are as follows:

1. My spiritual completion is found in Jesus. Even though I may never be complete/sinless in this flesh I choose, in this moment, to live in the wholeness of Him who perfected me. The Yvonne of the future walks in the Spirit continually, so I choose to do the same now. (Galatians 5:16, 25; 1 John 2:5)

2. I am more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus. In Him I have full victory over sin, death, the flesh and the power of Satan. Therefore, there is no room for victim mentality or excuses. (Romans 8:37; 1 Corinthians 15:15; 1 John 5:4)

3. In Christ Jesus I am wholly acceptable to God. He proves that He accepts me by giving me His Holy Spirit. (Acts 15:8)

4. Even though I may not be able to answer "why?" I know that God has chosen me to glorify Him by His perfect will. (Deuteronomy 7:6; Joshua 24:22, Romans 8:33, Ephesians 1:11, Colossians 3:12, 1 Thessalonians 1:14, 1 Peter 1:1-2, 1 Peter 2:9)

5. My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. He has made me holy, set me apart, and consecrated me for His presence and good works. Therefore, I choose to treat my body and honor it as a residence to the Holy Spirit. It is not my won; I am to care for it physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

These five affirmations reflect five areas of my life where I struggle believing the truth or living it out. I call these areas: completeness in Christ; victor, not victim; acceptable to God, chosen of/by God; and my body as a temple of the Holy Spirit.

Maybe I'll change Stuart's affirmation to:
"I'm loved enough, I'm empowered enough, and doggone it, Jesus like me!"