You’d think, having been a Christian my whole life, by my 40’s I’d have my identity in Christ firmly established. But learning who I am – and more importantly, loving who I am – has been a looong process.
What makes it so difficult to know and love ourselves is that so much of life is spent identifying ourselves by who we’re related to, what job we have, what hobbies bring us joy, what relationship status we’re in, or what weird personality quirks set us apart rather than identifying ourselves with who God knows us to be.
I’m someone who really struggled to find peace with who God created me to be. I honestly don’t know if that’s normal for everyone, or just the joys of me being someone with a lot of insecurities, self-doubt, and a predisposition to melancholy moods. It’s only been in the past couple of years that I’ve grown to not just accept who God made me to be, but to also love who God made me to be. The journey to self-acceptance started with ignoring the negative self-talk in my head and instead listening to who God tells me I am.
I have a list tacked to the wall in my office that’s titled “Who am I?” It lists thirty-five statements from Scripture of who I am in Christ. Honestly, some days, I just need to be reminded that: I am a child of God, I am a new creation, I am a slave of righteousness, I am a temple of God’s presence. The one I need reminded of most often is: I am not the great ‘I AM’ but, by the grace of God, I am what I am (1 Cor. 15:10).
So how do I get to a space (and repeatedly come back to this space) of loving and accepting who I am in God’s eyes?
Surrender.
Easily said, really hard to do. I must surrender my self-image so that God can conform it to the image of Christ. I must surrender my mind, so that God can renew it so that I no longer conform to this world. I must surrender my will so that God’s will is the only one I follow. I must surrender my heart, so God can give me a new one, filled with His love. I must surrender my life, so that I can gain an eternal life with Him.
The reason I can surrender is because I trust God more than myself. I know that the plans and purposes He has for me are beyond compare. Surrender is not easy. And it’s really not even a one-time event. I must repeatedly surrender, often multiple times a day. Who am I kidding? It’s multiple times a minute!
But those moments I can fully let go and say (and truly mean), “I surrender, Lord. All I have and all I am is yours,” Wow, those moments! Those moments are when I truly know who I am and really truly love who God has made - and is making - me to be.
Surrendered to Him,
Naomi
What makes it so difficult to know and love ourselves is that so much of life is spent identifying ourselves by who we’re related to, what job we have, what hobbies bring us joy, what relationship status we’re in, or what weird personality quirks set us apart rather than identifying ourselves with who God knows us to be.
I’m someone who really struggled to find peace with who God created me to be. I honestly don’t know if that’s normal for everyone, or just the joys of me being someone with a lot of insecurities, self-doubt, and a predisposition to melancholy moods. It’s only been in the past couple of years that I’ve grown to not just accept who God made me to be, but to also love who God made me to be. The journey to self-acceptance started with ignoring the negative self-talk in my head and instead listening to who God tells me I am.
I have a list tacked to the wall in my office that’s titled “Who am I?” It lists thirty-five statements from Scripture of who I am in Christ. Honestly, some days, I just need to be reminded that: I am a child of God, I am a new creation, I am a slave of righteousness, I am a temple of God’s presence. The one I need reminded of most often is: I am not the great ‘I AM’ but, by the grace of God, I am what I am (1 Cor. 15:10).
So how do I get to a space (and repeatedly come back to this space) of loving and accepting who I am in God’s eyes?
Surrender.
Easily said, really hard to do. I must surrender my self-image so that God can conform it to the image of Christ. I must surrender my mind, so that God can renew it so that I no longer conform to this world. I must surrender my will so that God’s will is the only one I follow. I must surrender my heart, so God can give me a new one, filled with His love. I must surrender my life, so that I can gain an eternal life with Him.
The reason I can surrender is because I trust God more than myself. I know that the plans and purposes He has for me are beyond compare. Surrender is not easy. And it’s really not even a one-time event. I must repeatedly surrender, often multiple times a day. Who am I kidding? It’s multiple times a minute!
But those moments I can fully let go and say (and truly mean), “I surrender, Lord. All I have and all I am is yours,” Wow, those moments! Those moments are when I truly know who I am and really truly love who God has made - and is making - me to be.
Surrendered to Him,
Naomi