Brave Change: Navigating Uninvited Seasons a 6 -Day Plan by Krista PettifordSample

Reclaim Your Identity

She said to them, "Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty, has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, and the Lord has brought me home again empty." Ruth 1:20-21

We all need at least one friend who will remind us of who God says we are and encourage us when we are down on ourselves.

Naomi left Bethlehem, having a full life with a husband, children, and everything that makes life beautiful, pleasant, and good, but she returned to Bethlehem without the things that mattered most.

She told the women to call her Mara, not Naomi, which means pleasant because she felt the Lord had dealt her a bitter hand. Life had taken so much from her that she felt empty and began to identify with her circumstances more than who God said she was. She did not yet understand that it wasn't God but time and chance that created her painful events. She had not yet seen how God would make things work for her good, but she trusted Him and willingly accepted her new season regardless of the shame.

Ruth, whose name means friend, became more than a daughter-in-law to Naomi during that season. She became her friend. I imagine that through the years, Naomi encouraged Ruth as a woman and a wife. Their new season was Ruth's chance to return her kindness as they faced the season's challenges together. Ruth's friendship provided Naomi stability, comfort, and encouragement while she recovered from her trauma. Naomi began to feel like herself again and focus on how to help Ruth.

Challenging circumstances can muddy our vision of ourselves, but our identity in Christ remains unchanged despite the things that happen to us.

I carried the pain, shame, and guilt of my divorce for so long that I began to identify with what I had gone through more than who God says I am until I became intentional about reclaiming my identity.

We reclaim our identity by actively replacing wrong thoughts with God's word, being intentional about the people we allow to speak into our lives, and focusing on our present season.

Who does God say you are, and what does He say about His plans for you?

Who has your ear? Are you actively pursuing godly friendships, wise counsel, and a supportive community of believers?