Who God Says You Are

God clearly describes our true identity in His word.  Our true identity emerges as we see ourselves through the truth that we are called, loved, chosen, redeemed, and empowered by Him.  There are many, many precious truths we can embrace that will guarantee us the ability to be transformed, restored, made whole, and set free to be the person God intended and created us to be.

But simply reading a portion of scripture doesn’t mean that transformation will occur.  We must receive God’s promises and truth into our hearts. How does this occur?  True change occurs at the belief level.  We must allow the emotions of our heart to collide with the information in our mind.

• We must soften our heart, through faith, in order for the seed of God’s principles and promises to have healthy soil in which to be planted.
• We must speak Biblical truth into our personal situations, even if our emotions tell us differently.
• We must hang on to those promises, even when things in this world don’t appear to align with what God says.
• We must patiently wait to see the faithfulness of God translate His promises into reality.

Choosing to believe God’s truth in our hearts (not just our minds) will allow us to see the world through His perspectives.  It will defend us against the false, and potentially threatening, ways we formerly used to secure our identity.  As we learn to anchor ourselves on how God loves us, no matter what happens, we will find security and peace in this knowledge.  As we change at the very core of our being, we begin to see ourselves as precious.  We begin to operate through the Holy Spirit, not our self-will or learned behaviors.

Where Our True Identity Begins

The entire Bible is a revelation of God’s truth.  But for it to become our own, we must continuously and repetitively connect ourselves to these truths.  Here are a few fundamental ways we can become stabilized in our true identity and purpose in life.

• Pick out scriptures of your own that apply to your life situation and areas of struggle. These should be promises you need to personally receive into your life.  Throughout this book, I have purposely included countless verses and passages from the Bible that I pray will connect to what your heart needs right now.
• Post the scriptures in places where you can access them throughout the day (for example, your phone background, bathroom mirror, car rearview mirror, desk at work).
• Speak the principles and promises of God’s word aloud whenever possible.
• Pray for the faith to persevere until these truths become real and internalized within you.
• Make notes in your journal of how God made that scripture real in your life, and what parts He never wants you to forget.

Take Back What’s Been Lost

The best gift God has given each of us is the true plan and purpose He created for our lives.  There was a day somewhere in eternity past when He first thought of us.   He determined our physical characteristics.  He formed our family.  He looked into our heart and implanted our temperament, our personality, our preferences, and our desires.  Then He gave us a free will.  So, despite how He created each of us uniquely, He left us space to make choices on our own.

For many of us, life got complicated along the way.  Our survival mode caused us to lose focus and become distracted from our true identity, our true purpose, and our true self.  When we begin to approach our search for authentic identity and significance, it may appear to others to be a selfish process, that we’re only thinking of ourselves.  Compared to how little we focused on ourselves in the past, any self-care might appear selfish to others (or feel selfish to us).  However, when we see it in proper context, we find it is not self-focused, but God-focused – experiencing what He has prepared for us so that we can be a conduit of sharing God’s best with others.

The formation of a healthy identity is a process of growth, not an immediate one-time event.  We are now essentially asking God to take us on a journey that we may have bypassed (or missed entirely) in our youth.   Grab hold of Him like a child and ask Him to show you and tell you what makes you uniquely you.  He will not let you down or leave you!

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Soul health and spiritual maturity cannot be separated.  Our counselors are ordained Christian ministers as well as certified and licensed Christian counselors.  We are able to help you experience freedom from shame, anxiety, depression, or marriage / relationship conflict with methods that are purely Christ-centered.  Please click on this link to learn much more about how our CHRISTIAN COUNSELING an help you become a more authentic follower of Christ, and help you find freedom from identity dependence.

Life Training offers convenient sessions at our office in Louisville, Kentucky, as well as online counseling via Zoom or FaceTime.  Our non-profit counseling practice has an outstanding track record for over a decade helping men and women, individuals and couples who are ready to move beyond anxiety, depression, and conflicts in marriage or other relationships find hope and healing in their lives.  Contact us today at 502-717-5433, or by email at drdave@lifetrainingcounseling.org