Identity

Identity… that word is used throughout our lives to tell who we are. It describes us and others. There are lots of “labels” nowadays used to identify us. Labels that were once ok are now offensive and hurtful, while other labels that were once hurtful and offensive are celebrated and accepted. Our perspectives changes and shifts those labels as time goes on. Our understanding grows and shrinks. All of that is dependent on our society, the world around us. 

But the truth is we were created with a whole and complete identity. Nothing broken. Nothing missing. 

I was thinking about this game I played more than once, both in ministry and in corporate life. I don't remember the name, I simply remember the tag phrase we used, “Find The Gold Not The Mold”. Every person taped a piece of paper to their back and walked around the room. The others in the room would write something about that person on the paper. No one knew who wrote what, and it could be anything from “I like the color of your hair” to some God-given profound word of knowledge or encouragement to said person. Inevitably, most if not all had some hidden part of their God-given identity uncovered.

So many times we look at people through that dirty window (shout out to Sherry P’s article) coming to conclusions we have no idea about and judging them, and how many times do we look at ourselves through that same window. Maybe we are stuck in our mistakes, past or present. Maybe we believe that Jesus was so good He was able to save us, but there is no way He could actually use us because we were washed clean, but we're still a little dingy. Or maybe we are doing some good work for God and we are so grateful for what He is doing for us and through us, but we have hit our ceiling, thinking it can’t get any better than this, God has done all He can… (side note God has no ceiling… “nothing is impossible for God”.)

The problem with that is that we end up trying to put the God who created the universe in a box controlled by our past. Essentially telling Him what He can and can’t do and with whom He can and cannot do it with. 

We have a saying in our church, “Without God we can’t, and without us He won’t.” 

I remember hearing a dear friend preach one time about “Moving From Sinner To Saint” and it really challenged the way that I viewed myself. I began searching to see if what he had said could be truth. The Bible says, 

And since we are His true children, we qualify to share all His treasures, for indeed, we are heirs of God Himself. And since we are joined to Christ, we also inherit all that He is and all that He has. (Rom. 8:17a). 

I’m just gonna be real for a second…  after reading that I’m like ok yeah I am a sister of Christ. Maybe the black-sheep of the family, but I’m in. But the truth is that is not it at all! That is not who I was created to be nor how Abba sees me, or you.

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun…(2 Cor. 5:7). 

God doesn’t see our “mold.” I’m not saying that He doesn’t know what we have done, of course He does. He is God. But God does not label us by what we have done in the past. We are a new creation that He loves remember.

My dear, children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality. It’s also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves. (1 John 3:18-20 TPT emphasis added)

God’s love is a powerful thing. In Romans it tells us that nothing in all creation is stronger than God's love. So it would make sense that the way to overcome the lies about who we are is to experience God’s love and then share it with others. After all, aren’t those the greatest commandments, to love God and love others?

In order to truly love God we need to love and cherish His creation. All of His creation. You are His “very good” creation.

Sometimes we need a little help finding our gold. We are too busy focusing on our broken pieces that we miss stepping back and seeing the beautiful creation that God has created. 

I hope you will take a minute today to do a couple of things...
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One, ask God. Ask God to show you yourself through His eyes. And when He does, because He will, receive it. Write it down and reference it regularly, speak it over yourself until you start to believe it. 

And two, start to speak gold into peoples lives. It doesn’t have to be profound. It could simply be that “Your hair is on point” or “I love your smile” or anything else the Holy Spirit reveals to you. Find and pull out that “gold” in others and you will start to find that it is easier to accept the gold that has been in you all along. 

And when we do that we will be able to more fully accept those little words, “Without God we can’t, and without us He won’t.” 

So let’s start walking in the full identity that God has given to each of us and watch His kingdom come to earth. 

I love you ladies! See you on the community.

WRITTEN BY: ALEXANDRIA BROWN

For more from Alexandria, visit her website at www.alexandriabrown.org.

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