I was going through a messy breakup. Sitting on my bedroom floor crying, depressing thoughts came swirling through my head. “You are all alone.” “You are rejected.” “You have no hope.” “No one wants you.” It was definitely a low point. The easiest thing to do was sit there and dwell in those thoughts, to agree with them and even encourage them.
But there was something in me that knew that even though those thoughts felt true, they weren’t. They were lies. Lies that were easily confirmed by my circumstances, but lies nonetheless. As I was sitting there, something in me rose up and I found myself praying, declaring, “That is not who I really am. That is not what God says about me.” In that moment of pain, I chose to believe what God says about me is true, that my identity in Christ is unchanging and that standing upon that foundation is the safest place to be.
Knowing my identity in Christ in that season, brought me peace, healing and security. It was my lifeline.
Here are seven ways to help you walk out in your identity in Christ:
- 1. STORE THE WORD IN YOUR HEART: Don’t wait for the storm to come. Store up the Word of God in your heart by reading the Bible regularly and memorizing significant verses.
- 2. TRUST GOD’S WORD, NOT YOUR FEELINGS: If you are anything like me, you may experience multiple highs and lows in one day, or even one hour. Your feelings are valid and are great indicators of what is going on in your heart, but don’t let your feelings be your lord. Reserve that spot for Jesus.
- 3. LOVE YOURSELF: The Bible commands us to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Don’t forget the second half. You must love yourself to be able to love others. Don’t dwell on negative thoughts about yourself. Self hatred is more rampant than you think. Give yourself grace and dwell upon the positive things God says about you.
- 4. MAKE A CHOICE: We can control whether or not we dwell on lies. Choose to not entertain lies about yourself. Make a choice to believe by faith who God says you are.
- 5. FIND SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY: Surround yourself with people who see you as God sees you. Those friends that will call you out on stuff and speak the truth in love. Keep them close.
- 6. BE VULNERABLE: If you are struggling with condemning thoughts or going through a difficult situation, let a trusted friend, counselor or pastor know. Give them an opportunity to love you and tell you who you really are.
- 7. PERSEVERE: Sometimes it takes a while for our true identity in Christ to move from our head to our heart. Don’t give up. Jesus is fighting on your behalf. Do your part by persevering and believing in faith.
You are loved, secure, known, triumphant, chosen, significant and so much more.
Start today by choosing to believe who you really are in Christ. He paid the price for your freedom, now let the truth set you free.
By Savannah Reynolds – Antioch Dallas
