How many of you looked into a mirror today? I think it’s safe to say that all of us did, probably more than once. We check our hair, our make-up, the bags under our eyes…Oh, wait, maybe that’s only me! We definitely do the famous “butt check” as we pirouette in front of the mirror. We may even change our clothes several times before we leave the house. Looking acceptable before we go into public is probably a good idea, but obsessing over our reflections- definitely not. We hear sermons all the time reminding us of the Good News….telling of how God sent His only son, Jesus to live among us. Both God and man, He died a painful death, carried our sins upon Him and rose from the dead so that we too may live eternally with Him in heaven. There is no better feeling of freedom than when we accept this gift and are released from our sin burden.
So why then, even after receiving Jesus, do we still live in the bondage of self-condemnation? We may not even realize the extent to which we label ourselves and beat ourselves up. We listen to the lies fed to us by the world and by Satan.
• We are NOT our mistakes.
• We are NOT what we do.
• We are NOT what we have or don’t have.
The labels I attached to myself over the years such as poor, fatherless, ashamed, dysfunctional, promiscuous, addict, insecure,guilty, lonely, rebellious, hypocrite, adulteress, bad mom and crazy, distorted and even completely blocked out my true identity. So when I looked at myself, that was who I saw. But God was seeing me as a child of His. He never saw me any other way. I had believed my own interpretation of myself. God’s word says in Psalm 139:13“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb" Once I really began to believe God, I could see that, in His Word, He outlines very specifically who I am. What a revelation. Talk about an “I was blind but now I see!” moment. As I look back over the labels that I have attached to myself, I now have ammunition in scripture to shoot down the falsehoods.
Hebrews 13:5-6 debunks the labels of POOR and ASHAMED given to me by my young peers. Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”
I no longer feel that being fatherless means I have no father, because Ephesians 1:5 tells me that He predestined us for adoption as sons through Christ Jesus, according to the purpose of his will.
In Isaiah 41:10, God promises “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. I no longer need to feel lonely and abandoned.
When I am feeling damaged I find solace in 1 PETER 2:24 which says, He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
The addicted adulterer can rest assured knowing that according to Colossians 1:13,He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.
Ephesians 1:7 makes it clear that even the guilty and unequally yoked have redemption in Him through his blood and the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.
2 Corinthians 5:20 speaks to me.
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. There is hope for even the hypocrite who took her focus from God.
When I feel as though I failed as a mother and a wife, Romans 8:37 says , No in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
And finally, the crazy lady label. This one requires a little more frequent reminding!! 2 Timothy 1:7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
So now, what do I see?!
1. I see that my past does not define me!
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.[a] The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17
2. I am wonderfully made!
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. Psalm 139:14
3. I am an overcomer.
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”John 16:33
4. My future is secure!
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare[a]and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11
5. I am redeemed!
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— Galatians 3:13
As my relationship with Christ grows, and I learn more about the sovereignty of God, I take comfort knowing that God had his reasons for taking my dad so young. I know that, even though I was promiscuous, used drugs, divorced, and made a multitude of awful decisions, God never viewed me as those things. He was patiently waiting for me to repent and turn to him.
His love has allowed me to heal from my mistakes over the years by his forgiveness of my sins. I know exactly who I am. I am from God, and greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world. I am holy and without blame. I am alive with Christ!
So why then, even after receiving Jesus, do we still live in the bondage of self-condemnation? We may not even realize the extent to which we label ourselves and beat ourselves up. We listen to the lies fed to us by the world and by Satan.
• We are NOT our mistakes.
• We are NOT what we do.
• We are NOT what we have or don’t have.
The labels I attached to myself over the years such as poor, fatherless, ashamed, dysfunctional, promiscuous, addict, insecure,guilty, lonely, rebellious, hypocrite, adulteress, bad mom and crazy, distorted and even completely blocked out my true identity. So when I looked at myself, that was who I saw. But God was seeing me as a child of His. He never saw me any other way. I had believed my own interpretation of myself. God’s word says in Psalm 139:13“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb" Once I really began to believe God, I could see that, in His Word, He outlines very specifically who I am. What a revelation. Talk about an “I was blind but now I see!” moment. As I look back over the labels that I have attached to myself, I now have ammunition in scripture to shoot down the falsehoods.
Hebrews 13:5-6 debunks the labels of POOR and ASHAMED given to me by my young peers. Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”
I no longer feel that being fatherless means I have no father, because Ephesians 1:5 tells me that He predestined us for adoption as sons through Christ Jesus, according to the purpose of his will.
In Isaiah 41:10, God promises “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. I no longer need to feel lonely and abandoned.
When I am feeling damaged I find solace in 1 PETER 2:24 which says, He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
The addicted adulterer can rest assured knowing that according to Colossians 1:13,He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son.
Ephesians 1:7 makes it clear that even the guilty and unequally yoked have redemption in Him through his blood and the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.
2 Corinthians 5:20 speaks to me.
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. There is hope for even the hypocrite who took her focus from God.
When I feel as though I failed as a mother and a wife, Romans 8:37 says , No in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
And finally, the crazy lady label. This one requires a little more frequent reminding!! 2 Timothy 1:7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
So now, what do I see?!
1. I see that my past does not define me!
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.[a] The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17
2. I am wonderfully made!
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. Psalm 139:14
3. I am an overcomer.
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”John 16:33
4. My future is secure!
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare[a]and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11
5. I am redeemed!
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— Galatians 3:13
As my relationship with Christ grows, and I learn more about the sovereignty of God, I take comfort knowing that God had his reasons for taking my dad so young. I know that, even though I was promiscuous, used drugs, divorced, and made a multitude of awful decisions, God never viewed me as those things. He was patiently waiting for me to repent and turn to him.
His love has allowed me to heal from my mistakes over the years by his forgiveness of my sins. I know exactly who I am. I am from God, and greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world. I am holy and without blame. I am alive with Christ!
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