I have struggled most of my life searching to know what is right about myself and who I am in Christ. Lies that felt like truth held me captive for too many years until God opened my eyes.

To be transparent, choosing to believe the “REAL truth” has been laboring. The enemy triggers doubt, condemnation, and insecurities, and it takes intentionality to not buy into those familiar, deceptive lures.

Do you know what is true about yourself?

The enemy tells us that we are dumb, unwanted, a mistake, unworthy, shamed, alone, and so many other condemning things. We become blinded by his lies. The enemy does not want us to know what is true about ourselves because it threatens his plan of deception and destruction (1 Peter 5:8).

While those lies may FEEL like reality, they are still lies.

The enemy is the Father of Lies (John 8:44), and God is Truth (John 14:6).

If you are struggling with knowing who you are as a person, mother, wife, husband, or professional, could it be that the answer to your question is right in front of you?

Could it be as simple as choosing to believe what God reveals to you over what the enemy has taught you?

We can glean a great principle from a young woman named Hagar. She and her son, Ishmael, were kicked out of their home. As they journeyed alone, wandering in the wilderness, they became weary, thirsty, hungry, and hopeless. You can find the recorded account in Genesis 21:14-20a.

I can’t help but wonder if Hagar believed that she was unwanted, unworthy, and shamed.

As they ran out of water, she placed her son under a bush, and sat opposite him – about a bowshot away. God shows up in Hagar’s life with an encouraging word revealing to her that what she needed was right in front of her: purpose and provision.

“God heard the lad crying; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter with you, Hagar? Do not fear, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him by the hand, for I will make a great nation of him.”  Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water, and she went and filled the skin with water and gave the lad a drink.”

I had to ask myself, “What is the matter with you, Jodi? Do you not know that God hears your cry and He sees you?” What about you today? What is the matter? Why would you believe a lie when the truth is right in front of you?

God desires to open your eyes to see what has been in front of you all along; The “REAL truth” about who you are in Christ!

You are:

  • Loved
  • Worthy
  • Have a purpose
  • Are wanted
  • And, you were not a mistake

Hold on now, don’t reject what I am conveying to you. I am sharing the truth about who you are. It is the truth from God Himself.

When we can align what we believe with God’s word, then it is true. Such as:

You were intentionally created: “I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well.” (Psalm 139:14 NASB)

You are loved: “… I have loved you with a love that lasts forever. So, I have helped you come to Me with loving-kindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3 NLV)

You have a purpose: “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)

You are not alone: “I will never leave you or abandon you.” (Hebrews 13:5b CSB)

You are Valuable: “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:26 NIV)

See, when we choose to believe the “REAL truth”, about ourselves, it frees us up in Christ. Free to glorify Him through our purpose (i.e., parenting, marriage, profession, illness…).  This kind of freedom is right in front of you. Can you see it?

As I mentioned at the beginning, holding onto the truth can be laboring because the enemy does not like it. But when we intentionally exchange a lie with truth, we win, and win BIG!

I pray that God, even now, turns your blindness into sight to see the truth about who you are in Christ.

I would love to hear from you friend in the comment section below. You are not alone in the struggle.

 

 

 

*Photo’s by Alonso Vila Ulloa and Eye for Ebony on Unsplash