You Are More Than You’ve Been Told: Unlock a Fresh Way to Live Through the Rhythms of JesusSample

DAY 1: A Fresh Way to Live

Have you ever felt disconnected from yourself, or from God? Have you ever lost a sense of who you really are, the direction for your life, and have felt weighed down?

If so, you’re not crazy. And you’re not alone.

That was me. I lost who I was. I was in a spiral of self-defeat. I was overwhelmed and over it. I felt disconnected from myself, from God, and any sense of inner peace.

I set out to answer this question:

How can we know who we really are–and live like it–every single day?

When life does not turn out the way that we planned. When the words and opinions of other people have grown increasingly loud. When the wounds from our past have taught us the wrong narrative about ourselves. When our worth becomes found in what we do, what we provide, or what we produce.

Is there a way to know who we really are? There is.

That’s what we will unpack in this 7 day devotional, based on my book, You Are More Than You’ve Been Told.

There is a new way to live—a personal, doable, refreshing lifestyle that might not look like everyone else’s, but that truly enables you to live as you’ve been created to live.

While I was in that weary season, weighed down and worn out, I started to study the lifestyle of Jesus, to see how He was able to live lightly and peacefully despite the pressures of culture and the expectations and ever-changing opinions of others. It was not easy, but I was tired of half-living.

Through learning the unforced rhythms of Jesus, and practicing His habits, I grew closer to Him. And the closer I got to Him, the closer I felt to the core of who I really was.

You might feel stuck, but you are not stuck. You will discover who you really are when you spend real time with the One who knows you the best.

This must become more than an inspirational concept for us. If we are to truly find the confidence and clarity we are searching for, this must become practical. I love when our heads are in, hopes are high, and hands are raised, but I’m also a hands-on kind of person. I want to know who I am. But I also must know how.

That is what we will unlock—a practical way to reconnect with yourself, and with God. Tangible tools to live lighter and freer.

First, let’s identify some of the lies that have been holding us back and the burdens we have been carrying. Take a deep breath, take some time, and ask yourself these questions:

• Who are you listening to? Whose opinions do you care the most about? What authority do they have to define you?
• What battles are you fighting? Where are you putting your time and energy? Are you fighting the battles God has called you to fight? Or is the Enemy perhaps distracting you with lesser battles?
• What names are you answering to? Names like Unworthy, Unwanted, or Unloved? Or names like Loved, Wanted, and Chosen? What you think about yourself determines how you live.
• What story are you living out? The false stories we have believed about ourselves trap us in the wrong patterns of living. What is a story that has shaped how you see yourself?

When we identify the lies in our lives, we are better equipped to heal from them and move past them.

Then, we will unlock God’s truths.

• No one has the power to define you but the One who created you.
• God’s voice must be the loudest voice in our lives.
• God’s lens must be the lens that we see ourselves through.

This is what we will unpack. It’s time to reconnect with God. It’s time to take back your time, reclaim your mind, and refresh your life.

Through His words, His lifestyle, and His habits, Jesus is going to show us how.

Prayer

God, I want to reconnect with You, and with who I really am. I want to crush the lies that have held me back for too long. I want to know how You see me and see my life. I want to live the life You’ve created me to live. I’m ready to start a new journey with You. Amen.