Monday, February 15, 2016

Your True Identity




Walking in the mall, standing in grocery stores and sitting in coffee shops ––you have told me your stories.

How the enemy came early to rob you of innocence, value, and purpose.

You have taught me that identities are often given more than found. And this through tragic events, neglect, and loveless-ness. By words spoken over you, of you and behind your back.

Somewhere the lie was bought that self-worth comes from what size clothes you wear, if your husband kept his promise or if you are the top sales person driving a big SUV.

And if that isn't enough to make you enough, there are the children and maybe grandchildren who are athletic and beautiful and the eternal fountain of to-do's to keep the noise and shuffle going.

Women. All blinged-out trying to be bullet-proof.

Certainly I recognize we are kindred sister spirits…. I’ve done all that too.

For those who figured out early on they could never perform enough, there are drugs, alcohol, and sex to numb the throbbing pain.

And some of you cut. You break the skin over and over and over and over again. So maybe when the blood drips down ––just maybe–– the soul pain will flow out too?

Your pain goes so, so deep. I don't understand it all, but in some ways I get it.

The enemy doesn't want you to understand what your true identity is. And we've all been losing the daily battles in our minds and hearts, but Jesus has won the war.

In the Bible....before God laid out rules to live by ––He told us who we were. 

He recorded for all of time and eternity that humans are made in Gods image. 

Dear women, we are His image bearers.

Image means representative likeness.

Of course there has to be bad news.

And this is the truth. Sin entered the world when Eve failed to believe what God said and bought the lie that God was holding out on her.

Truly the apple didn't fall far from the tree when it comes to women following the first example.

We try to hide our shame under the latest fashions and disguise our insecurities under make-up and masks. Too often we clamor for more when God says that less in more than enough.

We strain to see who we really are in the reflection in the mirror, when we can only find our true selves by looking to the One who made us.

He says you are His masterpiece.

He says that because of Jesus you are enough.

He says that there is a new song and a new name for each of us who believe.

But we need Jesus and we need to shed the names we allow to dance in our heads.

We have a real enemy. He hates God and hates all who are bearing the light of His image. He has a special hate for women. The ones who can bring forth new life. And because the fact is, women are the crowning jewel of Gods creation.

Do you need some good news?

The work is done. You can stop performing and start embracing the beauty of your enough-ness.

The battle is won. No more hiding in the shame, behind the masks, trying to control and being controlled by every dark thing that steals life.

That is what the cross is all about.

Jesus.

He paid it all.

When He shed His blood....it spilled out to cover all sin ––if we simply believe.

And because of that, you are enough. We are all enough.

Even when the mirror seems to tell us otherwise.

When we believe this and live this, we reflect glory. Like warm light as it rises above the shadows of a dark horizon and explodes over the treetops. We do this when we live out the things of the Spirit,

Moment by moment and day by day.

If we starve the things we do in the flesh ––the things of the flesh life will starve out and die.

If we will feed the spirit ––the spirit life will grow.




May we let Jesus define our worth.

May we read His Word and allow it to teach us. It's the instruction manual for unlocking the puzzling, complex reality of who we are and what His purposes for us are.

Friends, let us each release the identities we've had handed to us and the ones we've held onto for too long so that we can receive our true identity.

We have to let go of one to receive the other.


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