No Longer an Object of Mockery

This morning, during my devotions, I was catching up on my reading schedule. One of the passages had me in the book of Joel. When I got to chapter 2 verse 19, something about it stopped me in my tracks. It says in the New Living Translation:

“The Lord will reply, ‘Look! I am sending you grain and new wine and olive oil, enough to satisfy your needs. You will no longer be an object of mockery among the surrounding nations.’”
Joel 2:19 NLT

That phrase—”you will no longer be an object of mockery”—hit me in a place I didn’t expect. It brought back so many memories. Memories of being teased as a child for not looking like everyone else. For being told that I wasn’t pretty. That I didn’t measure up. That I wasn’t enough.

But last week, God revealed something beautiful to me. I realized, maybe for the first time, that I am beautiful. I always have been. I just couldn’t see it.

That moment shifted something in me. I started to walk differently. I started to treat myself differently. And today, God sealed that truth with His word in Joel. He is not just changing how I feel about myself. He is declaring a new thing over me.

Isaiah 62:4 says,
“Never again will you be called ‘The Forsaken City’ or ‘The Desolate Land.’ Your new name will be ‘The City of God’s Delight’ and ‘The Bride of God,’ for the Lord delights in you and will claim you as his bride.”
Just like God changed the name of His people, He has changed how I see myself. Where shame once lived, now honor and love abide.

And Psalm 139:14 reminds me:
“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
I wasn’t created lacking. I was handcrafted in beauty and purpose.

Zephaniah 3:19 says,
“I will deal with all who oppressed you… I will give you praise and honor in every land where you have suffered shame.”
God sees every tear I cried over the names I was called. He has not forgotten a single moment. But He is declaring now that mockery will not have the final word.

So today, I declare it too:
I am no longer an object of mockery.
I am no longer the one overlooked.
I am no longer the one laughed at.
I am beautiful. I am chosen. I am enough.

And not because I just started believing it. But because God said it. And His Word is true.