Who God Says I Am
Who God Says I Am
Lately, I’ve found myself working through my thoughts more than usual. Perhaps it’s the time spent deepening my spiritual growth and learning to be present in life. Our nation’s current state has offered me the space to sit and reflect on my identity and ask, “Who am I?” “What do I allow to define me?”
A Christian Life Coach recently shared, “I am careful of who I allow to speak to me, and I am very careful of who I allow to speak into me.” I love these words. They are powerful! So, when I ask you who or what is defining you, think of who or what you are allowing to speak into you.
Numerous messages are coming at us daily, both healthy and unhealthy. It is a precarious time, so take a moment to honestly consider the impact of these messages on our identity. Think of how the issues of the pandemic are influencing you. The comments of your boss? The books you read? Who or what is defining you?
We’ve gone from identifying our worth by our jobs, hours worked, volunteer positions, and social activities to measuring our value through our WFH (work-from-home) roles, personal causes, homeschooling, and DIY projects. None of which actually defines who we are or whose we are.
Who We Were Created To Be
When you take away worldly things – jobs, titles, and status – who are you? What remains? The world attempts to define us by categorizing us with labels. Sure, sometimes the labels are great. I mean, who wouldn’t want to wear “Super Mom” or “Fantastic Volunteer” across the front of their t-shirts (and I’m not judging those who do)? I’m only stating that these labels are not who we were created to be. Yes, our purpose is to serve others. And when we serve, we are serving through God’s power, using our spiritual gifts. Yes, we are amazing and remarkable, but only because God is working through us. The power and strength come from God, not us!
Philippians 2:13, The Message translation tells us, “What I’m getting at, friends, is that you should simply keep on doing what you’ve done from the beginning. When I was living among you, you lived in responsive obedience. Now that I’m separated from you, keep it up. Better yet, redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God’s energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure.”
That energy is God’s energy. He is working through you! Yes, you are remarkable and amazing because God is in you and with you.
The labels you place on yourself and the labels you allow the world to put on you are not of God. They are of the world.
The Problem with Labels
The problem with labels and striving to live by the world’s standard of what is acceptable and valued is that culture is constantly changing. Pastor Michael Todd once reflected, “What is valued in society is a constantly moving target.” One day, being beautiful is defined by having big pouty lips, while the next week, it’s defined by having a slim nose. One day, being a stay-at-home mom is viewed as honorable, while the next month, people question your motives and advise you to get a job. The worldly noise can be deafening if we choose to root our identity in what this world considers valuable. And, it’s exhausting to keep up because “it” is constantly changing. That’s why they are called trends.
So, what’s a girl to do when the temptation to live by the world’s standards is so attractive, and we desire to be the person the world says we should be and not who God created us to be? We turn to God’s Word. Genesis 1:3-25 states that God created everything on this Earth and described it as “beautiful and good.” God’s Word also tells us that God created us in His image: “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:27 NKJV
We were not created in the world’s image. We were created in God’s image.
Who are you?
Who are you? What or who do you represent? As Christian women, it is significant to our spiritual growth to understand who we are in Christ. You have to know who you are in Christ. Why? Because knowing who you are and whose you are gives you the strength to live the life you were created to live, God’s purpose for you. And, we each have a unique purpose.
When you know your creator and understand that God has given you life, you have the fortitude to refuse to accept the labels the world tries to force upon you, and you have the confidence, the bold faith, to wear the crown that God has destined for you. Why? Because you are chosen.
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;” 1 Peter 2:9 NKJV
God Chose You
Do you accept that you are a chosen one, God’s own special person, or do you attach yourself to the world’s labels? Let me help you with this; it does not matter what the world says about you. What matters is that God knew YOU before you were born, and He planned out your story before you took your first breath. He chose YOU, my dear friend, and if you take anything away with you today from reading this post, I want you to know that you are loved, you are accepted, and you are the daughter of the King.
Jesus Himself said, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” John 15:16 NKJV. It wasn’t of our own volition that we grew up and decided to follow Christ. Yes, in our free will, we turned to Him for forgiveness and redemption, but He had already chosen us. He has existed for all time. He created all things, and all things were created through Him (see John 1). He knew you from the beginning of time, and even before.
God Loves You
Those days when you don’t feel loved or worthy. On those hard days when life has been a little rougher than usual, or when you struggle with who you are and barely recognize yourself in the mirror, please remember these words: You were chosen – God loves you.
When your thoughts tell you that you are not enough or the people in your life that were placed there to love you find it difficult to show you love, know that God loves you. He loves you unconditionally. You matter to Him. You are a child of God, and you are loved. This is so important because when you are secure in God’s love, you can stand against the voices and noises that try to tell you differently. Remember the Garden of Eden when the serpent used his words to lure Eve in? In Genesis 3:1, the serpent deliberately tries to twist God’s instructions, asking Eve, “Did God really say…” To be rooted in a biblical identity is not only to know God but to know His Word.
Who You Are in Christ
Knowing your identity in Christ also helps you establish healthy boundaries, as shared in this month’s post. When we set boundaries, we are protecting our hearts and minds. We are setting limits on what we will allow, and our choices illustrate to others our values, which run deep within our identity – boundaries show us where “I end and where you begin.” They are the guardrails of life. Sometimes our self-critiques and thoughts can hurt us, but if we are rooted in God’s Word, the damaging thoughts will not impact us because we can discern what is true and what is false.
Setting healthy boundaries starts with knowing who you are in Christ. When we define our identity by who God says we are, rather than the mixed messages of this world, we begin to see the person God created us to be. Our identity is no longer rooted in the ever-changing global culture. Our identity is established in God’s Word, which is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. God’s Word never changes.
My Prayer for You
My dear friend, it is my prayer that you know and believe how truly and deeply loved you are. I want you to know that Christ loves you. He chose you. He appointed you. I hope you will take a moment to thank God for choosing you. Thank Him for His love and grace. You are a child of God, and I am so excited for you to experience the full love of Christ and discover for yourself who you are as a child of God. If you would like to learn more about your identity in Christ or need prayer, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I am here for you.
Keep on shining!
Who am I that the highest King would welcome me? I was lost but He brought me in Oh His love for me Oh His love for me Who the son sets free Oh is free indeed I'm a child of God Yes I am Who You say I Am - Hillsong Worship
