Are You Really Ok? Sýnishorn

Our identity is not only crucial to our emotional health, but it’s vital for our spiritual health because a large part of being a spiritually healthy person is found in being able to see ourselves the way that God sees us. Because how we see ourselves influences everything, including how we relate to God. Seeing ourselves how God sees us means seeing ourselves through the lens of truth—a lens that hasn’t been tainted by the sin and struggle of this world. And it’s only by seeing the truth that we can really be set free (John 8:32). 

Jesus came to begin something new. If we define ourselves by false labels, our God doesn’t just come to scribble pretty next to our ugly labels—He comes to obliterate the old labels. He comes to give us a brand-new identity by wiping the slate away and starting from scratch, beginning all over again. The apostle Paul reminds us, “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT). Starting from scratch with our identity can be a difficult process, especially when we’ve believed lies about ourselves for so long. That’s why this process cannot be accomplished outside of God’s Word. 

Years ago, long before I met my husband, I went through a difficult breakup. I had wrapped up so much of my identity in trying to find the right person that, after the relationship was over, I felt like I had lost myself. I spent a lot of time unpacking who I was during that season of my life. 

God’s Word was such a crucial part in the process of beginning to download the truth of who I was standing alone. My eyes began to open to the reality of who I was in Christ, and what it meant for me to live out of truth. I can say with confidence that this time in my life was another layer of healing that God was bringing to my spirit and soul, moving me closer to becoming healthy and whole. This was the season that God was longing to bring healing into my beliefs about myself. But in order to heal from those beliefs, I had to come face-to-face with them.

I knew that the one and only thing I could look to for a solid understanding of my identity was what God was saying about me. His view of me is always the same—no matter what. He sees me through the lens of truth, and that’s exactly how I needed to begin seeing myself. I opened His Word and began to download His truth into my mind and allow it to make its way into my spirit. God’s Word spoke over my blank slate and told me exactly what I needed to hear: 

• That I have a purpose: “You are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling” (1 Peter 2:9 msg).

• That I am accepted: “You are… to tell others of the… difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted” (1 Peter 2:9-10 msg). 

• That I am noticed: “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me” (Psalm 139). 

• That I am forgiven: “He has taken [your sin] away, nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:14). 

• That I am loved: “What great love the Father has lavished on us” (1 John 3:1). 

These are the labels I needed to place over my life and heart. These are the truths I needed to begin believing to counteract the lies. 

I don’t know what labels you have been carrying, but I do know God’s Word can speak truth and love onto those labels—no matter how awful or real they may feel. Though we can’t change our past experiences, we can change what we allow ourselves to believe as a result of those experiences. This is where we can take back power and control over the false things that have been spoken over us, or maybe even the false things we end up speaking over ourselves. 

For those of us who are currently walking with Jesus, we must be intentional about regularly replacing the lies with truth. It’s not a once and done process; we’re constantly being bombarded with lies—lies that can quietly begin to make their home in our hearts if we’re not evicting them with the truth. Because human experiences are so different and unique, each of us needs to find the truth that speaks over our unique lies. Let’s look at some of God’s truths found in Scripture. Ask yourself which of these truths you need to use to counteract the labels and lies you have believed: 

• I am complete (Colossians 2:10). 

• I am capable through Christ (Philippians 4:13). 

• I am taken care of (Philippians 4:19). 

• I am free (Romans 8:2).

• I am redeemed (Ephesians 1:7).

• I am wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). 

• I am precious (Isaiah 43:4). 

• I am created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). 

• I am protected (Deuteronomy 31:6).

I challenge you to dig into God’s Word and come face-to-face with what you believe about yourself—and whether or not it lines up with the truth. We need to become people who believe truth over lies because what we believe about ourselves determines the level of our spiritual health. And what we believe about ourselves determines the kind of life we live.