Discovering Our True Identity

As we go through life, many words are spoken to us about who we are. First, by parents and grandparents, then friends, siblings, teachers, spouses and others. They can be life-affirming words such as “You are beautiful,” “You are so talented,” or they can be destructive, hurtful words such as “You will never amount to anything,” or “You are such a loser.” I even know someone whose parent said, “I wish you had never been born.”

These words all have great impact and help form our self-identity. But words spoken by other people are influenced by their own sense of self, wholeness and experiences. There is a saying “Hurting people hurt people” which proves to be so true. In families, generations can continue the hurting, demeaning declarations, as each person speaks from their heart broken by negative words imparted to them.

There is another source of your identity which is based on absolute truth. These words last for eternity and if you read them, believe and declare them, they can renew your thinking and change how you see yourself. Psalm 139 is one source where God tells each of us:

For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.

God fashioned you exactly as He intended you to be and sees you as special, unique, beautiful and precious. He knows your potential and He created you with a purpose and a destiny to fulfill. You are not a mistake! You are not worthless! You do matter. The ways you are different make you unique, not weird. You have value and worth. You are beautiful in His sight!

It is important to recognize that the words which tear us down, demean us and make us feel worthless come from the enemy. They are designed to keep us from embracing who we really are and fulfilling the destiny that God intended for us. We can overcome them and have victory if we replace these lies with the truth of our identity. This is not about being prideful; it is about having understanding and confidence in who we really are. Psalm 139 vs. 23, 24 go on to say:

Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.

Take time today to reflect on what words you say to yourself about you and what others have said. If they do not match with what God has said, think on what His truth is about you and declare it! He loves you with an everlasting love and has a plan for you for good.

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