I heard someone say, “I am just a crappy person” as they were sharing with me all the bad choices they had made. My response to that – God doesn’t make crappy people. Our wrong choices, sin, or struggles are not our identity. They are choices we make against God and His will for our lives, or, obstacles we are facing. We choose what satisfies the flesh instead of what glorifies God. To sin is the nature of man and we will be in a constant battle with the spirit and flesh till we join Jesus in Heaven for eternity. And, stuff happens. We live in an imperfect world weighed down by sinful humans who act badly, and, sometimes we are on the receiving end of someone’s bad behavior – sin.
Ladies, we have a tendency to slap labels on ourselves that identify our struggles, hurts, or fears, “I am an addict, an alcoholic, ugly, fat, worthless, stupid, a failure…” as if it is stamped on your forehead. Whatever your struggle is; sin, addiction, character defects, or hurt, that is not who you are. It is what you are experiencing through your circumstances. Your struggle is not your identity. I struggle with depression and anxiety but it is not who I am. It is a form of mental illness that I have learned to be proactive and responsible in managing. When I was working on my addiction, I used to call myself an addict. I realized that was another label that I slapped on like shame, guilt, regret, and worthlessness. I changed that self-description to – I struggle with addiction. You see the difference? I didn’t want to be an addict. I wanted to overcome my addiction and be who God created me to be.
My friend, your identity is confirmed through your self-talk. Every time you start a sentence with ‘I am’, it should end with a positive self-affirming heartbeat that proclaims God’s truth of who you are.
Who does God say you are?
- You are God’s child (John 1:12)
- A disciple and friend of Jesus (John 15:15)
- A member of the family of God (1 Cor 12:27)
- Free from condemnation (Romans 8:1-2)
- Established and anointed (2 Cor 1:21-22)
- A branch of Jesus (John 15:5)
- A temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16)
- God’s workmanship (Eph 2:10).
Look up those verses and speak them out loud, starting with ‘I am‘. Believe that it is His Word working effectively in you. You are accepted by God, secure in Him, and significant to His Kingdom. You are God’s greatest creation. Your identity is in Jesus Christ, not your struggle. Turn up your light!
sheissignificant.com 