What Defines You?featured

Do you ever hear yourself say things like; I’m a teacher. I’m a mom. I’m a grandma. I’m a wife…. Or maybe it’s something more like; back when I was a kid they always said ________ about me, I always got called fat, my parents said I was worthless or an accident, my husband says ________ about me? If your open to it, take a minute right now and think about times in your life that have defined who you are today. Think about how you would describe yourself to others whom you have just met, what would you say?

We let things that people say about us or ways that people treat us shape and mold us into who we are and what we think about ourselves. I know for myself, when I was a kid my Mom was speaking to my sister about her grades. My sisters response was, “how come Tracy doesn’t have to get all A’s”? My mothers response was something along the lines of, Tracy isn’t smart enough to get all A’s. I know that seems harsh and for me, hearing that when I was a kid, defined me for a long time. I have to admit, looking back on it now, she was right. I wasn’t in the frame of mind at that time in my life to be able to pull off all A’s and Mom being wise as she is, knew that. However, without getting any clarity on what she meant by that comment, I ran with it and allowed it to be who I was. It took me years to eliminate that thought about myself and become a Magna-Kum-Lauda in college and then go on to homeschool four kids who came to me for help in their courses all through high school.

How do you change your identity?

Thoughts that we have allowed to define us sometimes take great effort to erase. Sometimes they’re things that we alone cannot remove from our identity. However, there is a God who has another truth for you!

“God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27) You are created in Gods image.

He didn’t stop there! Psalm 139:13-16 says, “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous – how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.”

You are God’s masterpiece!

What defines you? What if you were to change your story? What if, instead of allowing all the things that people have said about you or even the lies you have told yourself to define you, you allow God to define you, you allow his word to be your identity?

Take a second to read this out loud.

I am a child of The King (Luke 23:3). I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). I am Gods masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10). With Christ I am an heir of God’s glory (Romans 8:34). I am loved (John 3:16, Romans 5:8).

This Weeks Challenge

This week let’s live like we believe our identity is found in Christ. Let’s let his love flow over and through us to those we come in contact with. Let’s be HIS vessels!