“We give glory to God simply by being ourselves.”
Brennan Manning
In the past, I have been caught up in the comparison trap, wanting to speak or write like someone else. Because I didn’t know who I was, insecurity became like a weed wrapped around myself, choking out my identity. Today I am less tempted in this area, as I’ve grown in the comfortableness of who I am in Christ and who He’s created me to be. Insecurity with our identity and a lack of agreement with God in who we are, affects fruitfulness in the Body of Christ.
I’m most free when I’m around those who accept me as I am, those who are not jealous or threatened by me. When I’m not judged, I’m free to be who the Creator created me to be. The more I get to know my heavenly Daddy, the more I get to know myself by seeing who I am through my Father’s eyes.
We all play different roles in the Body of Christ. If everyone was the same, we couldn’t function. The beauty of an orchestra is that when each instrument plays their part, music is made for the enjoyment of all. I Corinthians 12:18 says: “But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, everyone one of them, just as He wanted them to be.”
Our pastor spoke on this topic last Saturday night and closed the evening by asking various people to stand up and say who they are. A few were hesitant and he had to draw it out of them. It was not a display of prideful boasting, but rather stating with confidence who God made them to be. Something powerful takes place when we declare our identity out loud. The enemy is defeated when we agree with who God says we are, and unashamedly walk in our identity.
As soon as we got into our car after the service, I turned to John and said: I am a favored daughter, an emotional healer. I love to take others into the bridal chamber of Christ. I am the heart in the Body of Christ, restoring intimacy. Who are you?
“Define yourself radically as one beloved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is illusion.”
Brennan Manning
Relevant Reflection:
Take a moment and ask God who you are. Confess it out loud and let someone else know.