A British journalist wore the same outfit in the changing rooms of ten different clothing stores, and was photographed in each one by the same photographer using exactly the same camera. But When the photos were compared, the results were surprising. In some of the photos she looked great (according to her) while in others, not so great. In fact, she said one photo made her look like “a pregnant hobbit.” Remember: same person, same outfit, same photographer, same camera. The difference was that the lighting and the mirrors and the color of the walls differed from store to store, so while she really looked just fine in every situation, it often appeared that she didn’t look good. She was okay. Her circumstances had changed. And they often told her she was not okay.

It pays to remember that circumstances can lie to you. You could be having a good day or a bad day, you might be hungry or tired or have low blood sugar, and these things can affect the way you feel about yourself. You can be a child of God but be having the sort of day when for any number of reasons you just don’t feel like one. So who should you believe? Should you believe what you see in the mirror on the wall?

2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” And that’s an important principle to incorporate into our faith walk with Jesus. When you’ve chosen to be a follower of Christ, Satan will accuse you and tell you you’re not worthy and he will try to crush your faith. What then? What should you think when you look in the mirror and you know that a moment ago you saw a Christian, but now you’re not so sure?

The answer is to live by faith. Faith tells you you are a child of God. Faith tells you you have received Christ’s righteousness. Faith says your sins have been forgiven. Faith will hold on to God and won’t let go, in spite of circumstances.

The lighting changes, and so do the mirrors. But when God tells you that you are His child, then that’s what you are.