"Who do you think you are?”
If you’ve ever been asked this question, chances are it was not in the friendliest tone. This is the tone the world takes with us. If we allow them, people around us will try to dictate to us how to think and what to believe about ourselves. You can see it everywhere; in commercials, on social media, in popular songs and shows. We are told that our worth can be found at the bottom of a diet pill bottle or a shopping bag. We buy and sell our identity from companies that care about their bottom line and very little about us. They tell us what they need us to believe in maximizing their profits, and the worst part is many of us believe them.
Think about it. There are industries that thrive on our insecurities and poor life choices and have no intention of helping us overcome the lies we’ve grown to believe about ourselves. Thankfully, these external voices do not get to have the final say. The Bible is very clear about the value that God places on His people. He has some choice words to describe his children, and worthless, ugly or unlovable are not included in the list. We can choose to walk in the shadow of the world or believe all that God says about us.
You are loved
The love that the world has to offer is conditional. It is love given as a reward for “good” behavior that will never be enough. We all make mistakes and are sinful at our very core. Still, God looks at us in this state and says, “there goes my child.” God is not waiting on us to be perfect to love us. He is not waiting on us to be sin-free to love us. He isn’t waiting on you to get your act together to become worthy of Him. No! He stretches out His hands towards us while we are in the midst of our mess and says to us, “Come unto me.” (Matthew 11:28) This may sound too good to be true, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8).
You are beautiful
The beauty industry has really done a number on our self-esteem. Women around the world are taught from a young age that their value is tied to their external appearance. This is why cosmetic companies, clothing companies, diet companies, body modification companies, and so many others are thriving on the currency of our insecurity. We’re not thin enough, not pale enough, not tall enough, not short enough, we’re just not enough. God does not want us to get tangled up in the web of these lies. This is why we are reminded in Psalm 139:14 that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.”
You are royalty
The devil will go out of his way to make us forget our royal heritage and bloodline. When we are born into sin, we are the inheritors of the fruits of Adam. When we are born again, however, we immediately become heirs to the throne of God. In Galatians 4:7, we are told that we “are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.” What does this really mean? It means we are free from any and all forces that try to trap us and control our minds. We are free to learn more about the true nature and Spirit of God and live in the freedom that only Christ can give. It means we do not have to be slaves to the opinions of others or rely on the external validation of our peers to live meaningful and satisfying lives. A life lived in agreement with God is a life worth living.
You are blessed
Your enemy wants you stuck in a cycle of self-sabotage and stagnation. He tries to convince us that the lives we want for ourselves are outside our reach because of something or the other we have done in our past. He sows seeds of doubt in our minds through the words of our loved ones who mean us well. They may see your goals as too large and outside of your reach, but God has the final say. When God blesses our assignments, human minds may not be able to comprehend it, but here’s the good news; they don’t need to! The blessing of the Lord on your life is all that you need to grow from strength to strength.
You are forgiven.
Guilt and shame are two weapons the devil uses against us to keep us from growing in God’s grace. If he can keep us obsessing about our shortcomings, He can trick us into developing the wrong perception of God. When we sin, how many of us instinctively try to run away from God and hide our flaws? We become obsessed with trying to fix ourselves and getting clean before approaching God as if there is anything we can actually do to save ourselves. Only God can save us, and He gives His forgiveness freely to those who repent and come to Him. Ephesians 1:7 tells us that, “In him, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”
You are His
This is the most beautiful reminder of all. Over and over, we see God showing up for His children. From the Old Testament to the New Testament, we see a strong Father standing up for His beloved, defending them from enemies and rescuing them from danger. He provides food, shelter, heals their diseases, and wins their battles. He is consistent in His parent-like love for us because we are His. He made us, and He desires nothing more than to be there for us.
We may not always have a clear path in our minds about where we want to go in life and what we want to do, but we should always remember who we are and what we are. We should remember everything God has to say about us so the next time we are asked who we think we are, we can proudly say, “I am who God says I am.”
I hope that you've enjoyed this week's journal entry. My goal is to send love and encouragement to you and your household. Wherever you are in your journey, know that you are not alone. God is with you...
Thank you for reading.
© I am Coach Shonda
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