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July 26, 2012
Mistaken Identities |
"He who belongs to God hears what God says." John 8:47 (NIV 1984)
I poured a cup of coffee and logged on to my laptop to peek at a friend's Facebook page.
When I tried hopping over to see her latest pictures, I couldn't get her name to appear in the search bar. I was puzzled. This had always worked before. Glancing at the top of the screen, I realized I wasn't logged in to my own account. My son had forgotten to sign off when he'd been on earlier so I was actually logged in as him instead.
I couldn't get where I wanted to go because I had mistaken my identity.
With a quick click of a mouse I switched accounts and used Facebook as "me." Under the right identity I was free to view pages, leave comments with ease, and get where I wanted to go.
Sometimes in life we encounter the same issue—we don't realize we have mistaken our identity. We log into our day and encounter wrong thinking that makes us forget who we really are. This may happen when a voice from our past or our own negative self-talk urges us to forget our identity in Christ. When we do, we're blocked by doubt and can't get where God is calling us to go: to a life lived with our security and value rooted deep in His thoughts toward us.
Instead we hear:
"You can't do that. You aren't good enough."
"You'll never change."
"Why can't you be more like your sister?"
"If only you were more ____________ instead of so ___________."
When statements of self-doubt seem to scream and discouragement sets in, we need to log out of the lies we believe and log into God's truth. It's the only way we will know and live in our true identity so that we can navigate our lives according to God's Word.
Here are some truths we can tell ourselves to remember our who we are:
I am the daughter of the Most High God.
I am loved, redeemed and renewed.
I am chosen, blameless and holy.
I was bought at a great price.
God knows me thoroughly and yet loves me completely.
He has plans for my future that include hope, not harm; blessings, not banishment.
I belong to Him.
John 8:47a tells us, "He who belongs to God hears what God says." We need to listen to His Word, let it take root in our minds, and allow it to eradicate any untrue, destructive thought patterns. Replacing the negative chatter with assuring scriptures will gently, but firmly, remind us who we are as children of God.
Yes, if we "belong to God" we will hear what He says. As we log into His truths daily, no longer will we mistake our identity. We will know the confident reality of who we are in Christ.
Dear Lord, when I am tempted to think of myself in a way that is neither healthy nor true, remind me both of who I am and to Whom I belong. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?
For more on this topic, including 5 Ways to Prevent Mistaken Identity and a chance to win a copy of A Confident Heart by Renee Swope, visit Karen's blog.
A Confident Heart: How to Stop Doubting Yourself and Live in the Security of God's Promises by Renee Swope identifies lies we mistakenly believe and equips us to overcome them so we can take hold of our true identity and live confidently in the truth of who God says we are.
Reflect and Respond:
What are some counter-productive or self-doubting thoughts that race through your mind at times? The next time you sense this happening, find a promise to replace each doubt. Find more strategies on Karen's blog today.
Power Verses:
Romans 1:6, "And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ." (NIV 1984)
1 John 3:1a, "Consider this: The Father has given us his love. He loves us so much that we are actually called God's dear children. And that's what we are." (GW)
© 2012 by Karen Ehman. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road
Matthews, NC 28105
www.Proverbs31.org
Originally published Thursday, 26 July 2012.
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