You Are More Than a LabelSample

Lose the Label: Underdog

God asked me one day, “What’s in your hands?” I responded, “I have my story of weight loss, but what should I do with that?” He replied, “Write it down.” I didn’t do that right away but instead grabbed the door handle to walk into my full-time radio job. After much prayer, I sensed God was preparing me to take on a bigger responsibility, but I thought it was with my job. 

A short time later, I went to Africa on a short-term mission trip. He spoke again, “Consider the ‘who’ before the do.” God worked in that trip to reveal my flawed thinking about my identity. I realized I was finding my identity in what I was good at. Upon my return from the trip, I made a leap of faith and walked away from my full-time job to write full time. I wrote about my weight loss journey, and now through that book, He’s developing a new ministry He placed on my heart. 

But…once I left full-time security, I felt like an underdog. 

My gifts and talents had taken a side step, even though I resonated with listeners. With my weight loss story, I felt ashamed because of what I’d put my body through and thought my story was insignificant. Shame sends you straight to the hands of the accuser, who torments you in secret. Often, we hide our insecurities within our soul’s closet, leaving pain and offense to hang out from our past to remind us we are broken by someone or something. The only problem with ignoring these labels is they block the receptivity of God’s grace and His ability to connect you through your weaknesses with others. 

We shouldn’t attach our worth to what only our hands can produce. Yes, it may be our assignment, but it’s not based on our ability. It’s based on God’s potential placed inside of us. Through sharing about my weight loss, God is setting people free. 

Gain God’s truth: By humbly sharing your testimony, God uses your story to become a connection point of God’s work instead of a finger pointed back at you. Only God’s Word has the power to change lives, and in our willingness to humbly share ourselves, He gives us the grace to share our story and connect with others through His truth.