In Christ I Am

In Christ I Am

        There are many things in life we chose to let define who we are rather than what Christ says. We base our identities on things we achieved, things we do, disabilities, mental health diagnosis, whatever might be it’s not what gives you your identity. Using these identities just puts a label and a limit on what you think you are capable of. Not saying that our achievements are invalid and unrecognized but they don't give us our identity.
       When someone asks us who we are we always start off with I do this job, or I do this hobby, or I'm (fill in the blank). Why do we never start with God? I think a lot of times we don't feel we meet the requirements to be who God says we are. However, if we didn't meet those requirements then God wouldn't give us his identity. I think also we focus too much on what we're incapable or capable of doing that we don't see God's full picture. God sees the full picture which is why he gave you strengths to match your potential if you just believe in yourself and God. This is where spiritual gifts come in to play. When God gives us these abilities he believes in us to fulfill the promise of Him. Say for example we have the gift of encouragement, then God can work into us and allow us to communicate His love and his strength through encouragement.
        Spiritual gifts are given to you because God has already seen you implement his works through these gifts. This ties back to how God defines us, not only is it through gifts of the spirit but through his lovingkindness. God uses so many ways to communicate what he sees you as. Your main label is and always will be Child of the one True King, this always comes before anything else. You are always going to be God's child no matter what. One thing you also have to realize is other labels are just temporary, but God is infinite and eternal. God says we are unconditionally loved which means nothing we do or say can make God love us less. Another label is we are chosen, God knit us together in our mother's wombs to be who he made us to be and nothing else. God says we are redeemed by the blood of Christ, God sent him to die so we could be redeemed of sin. God says we are strong because he has given us the strength to fight the battles. There are so many more things that God says we are!
        Knowing all the things that God says we are we still get stuck in the mindset of we can't measure up to what God says we are. The thing is we don't have to because we are already there. The battles God has put you through have already been done, the doubt, the fear, and anything else in the way have already been conquered, so that we can grasp what God's potential for us is. Gaining wisdom is seeing the world through God's eyes. So we need to gain wisdom for ourselves and see what God sees in us.
we only see the negatives but God only sees the positives. You were created to be shaped into Christ-likeness but to do that, you have to see things the way God sees them.
        Another thing that holds us back from seeing us how God does is lies and not seeing past them. We get caught up in what others say about us and what we say that God ends up being put on the back burner, even though he's the truth. To take in what God says rather than doubting we have to block out any other opinion that is not Godly based. Yes, this can be hard with medical conditions, learning disabilities, mental health, and job titles to not label them onto us so much it becomes impossible to focus on God. Diagnoses are there and it's ok to have them but don't let them define what you are capable of. You can have any disability and still praise Jesus in your heart. You can have any mental health diagnosis and still be able to open your hands to Jesus. You can still be in a job and have that title but God comes first. You are a child of God before you are a nurse, teacher, coach, doctor, scientist, and so on.
       When you let other things define you, you are putting a limit on yourself. You are putting a boundary up and not allowing yourself to reach what God knows you can do. God knows everything that you are capable of and that's why he gifts you with abilities to glorify him. If you're not sure how God sees you just look up many bible references and there are tons of them of how God sees you. We can be Christ-like if we allow ourselves to be guided by Him. We have to believe we are enough, we have to believe we are loved, capable, chosen, adored, worthy, redeemed, and more. God says all these things and he's never wrong.
        Keep asking God how he sees you and he will lead you to his truth. Keep searching for truth and allow yourself to soak it in. Give yourself grace when you make mistakes. Keep destroying the lies that don't come from God and start believing in what he knows you are. Don't be hard on yourself if you don't think you can measure up to how God sees you. God doesn't expect it instantly he just knows that in your lifetime you are capable and you have already proven it. Keep pressing into the bible and meditating on God's truth. God wants you and he wants you to know that he's rooting for your spiritual growth! God is rooting for his children to overcome anything and everything!



Identity in Christ Verses in the Bible - Soul Shepherding








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