Fr Alvan Ibeh: You Are Wonderfully & Fearfully Made

In his regular column Fr Alvan Ibeh encourages readers to embrace their unique God-given dignity and gifts, reminding them that they are fearfully and wonderfully made in God’s image.

Have you ever found yourself in a position where you felt so invisible – that feeling that makes you think that no one notices you, and you feel like you are useless and would like to be like others? I must admit that I really felt that way as a young boy growing up, especially while in school. But things have changed since I discovered that there is something in me that makes me special and different from any other human being on earth. Things have changed since I came to realise that “I am fearfully and wonderfully made by God”. All I need to do is try to be who I was created to be and not to be like any other person.

A young boy loved looking at and admiring the stars and often stood by his bedroom window every night, admiring how beautifully God has made the world. Despite this, he was often not happy with himself, as he thought he was too short, too quiet, and not as talented as the other children in his class. One day, he came back from school very sad, and when his grandmother asked him what the problem was, he said in anger and frustration, “No one notices me. I wish I were like everyone else.” His grandmother smiled and decided to teach him a lesson that would change his life. She took him into the garden and, pointing to the flowers, she asked him, “Which flower is the most important?” The boy replied, “I don’t know. They are all different but, at the same time, beautiful.” “Exactly,” responded his granny. “God made each flower with a unique purpose. The rose does not try to be a sunflower, and the lily does not envy the daisy. Each one reflects God’s beauty in its own way.” She took the boy inside the room, handed him a mirror, and said, “Look into the mirror, my boy. You see, the same God who created the stars, the oceans, and the flowers created the same person whom you are seeing in the mirror. He did not make a mistake. You are wonderfully and fearfully made.” These words stayed with the young boy, and over time, he stopped comparing himself with others. Instead, he began to discover the gifts God had given him and came to realise that he had something to offer his generation.

I don’t know who may be reading this and has been feeling invisible, worthless, or useless. I want you to know one thing – “You do not need to be someone else to be special. God created only one ‘you’. You are wonderfully and fearfully made, and the world would not be the same without you.”

God created every person with love, purpose, and dignity. He took His time to package you and delivered you into this world through your mother. Before you were even conceived in your mother’s womb, He knew you (Isaiah 43). It therefore makes sense to say that if God knew that you were useless, He wouldn’t bring you into this world. Therefore, no person on this earth is useless unless they decide to be. We don’t even need to compare ourselves with others because each of us is a unique masterpiece in the hands of God. The Psalmist declares: “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well” (Psalm 139:14).

Today, stand tall in the truth that you are fearfully and wonderfully made by God. Be grateful to Him for the gift of your life, embrace the person He created you to be, and live each day with hope, confidence, and faith. You are not a mistake. You are not forgotten. You are not insignificant. Make sure you share this with someone else and remind them that they are special in the sight of God. God bless you.

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