Have you ever looked in the mirror and asked, “Who am I…really?” Do you ever wonder if you are truly being yourself? That special person created by the very hands of God to be who He designed you to be? I know I sure do.

When I was a kid, I was extremely shy. I sat at the back of the classroom, and if I were called on, my heart would start beating like a poodle. I couldn’t stand to be called on in class for fear of answering incorrectly or being laughed at. So, I decided (noticed, I decided) to work on being a stronger, more outgoing, fearless version of myself.

Sounds ok, right? Well, yes, if I were to allow God to do the work and change me from the inside out. But I decided to take on this challenge myself. After all, I knew what I needed to do and who I wanted to become. With years of practice under my belt, I started to become a little too opinionated and a bit careless with my “New Identity.” No longer was I going to be stepped on and treated like a doormat!

Fast forward a few more years, and still looking in the mirror and not seeing who I really wanted to see. Isn’t it funny how we can look at other people around us and say, “I need to be more like that!” But did God create me to be like that? Even though I wanted to be a more outgoing version of myself, how did God see me?

When I think back about the life of Jesus, I think He is absolutely amazing!! He always answered everybody with such wisdom and respect. He was fearless and strong. Most of all, He spoke the truth in love. I can just picture the love in His eyes as He engaged with people. We were created in the image of God, not only in His looks but in His personality. His DNA is a part of us. We certainly can’t attain His perfect love and attitude this side of heaven, but we can certainly strive to.

God created you for a specific purpose. He created you because He wanted someone like you to spend eternity with and to love.

He wanted you to do the things on earth that He purposes for you to do. God will take you places I can’t go and have you witness to people others can’t reach. We have to allow God room to change us –to make us better versions of ourselves and become more like Jesus. This is our light to the world. It is what makes us different from the world.

As a young adult, I started walking closer to God and allowing Him room to change me. To remove the icky parts of me that were more worldly than Godly.   But I would still look in the mirror, and instead of seeing shy and fearful, I saw an unworthy, unable to change, sinner.

Now, wait a minute! I was trying to allow God room to change me, and now, the enemy is trying to keep me stuck as the “old me.” He wanted me stuck! He wanted to hold my identity in Christ captive so I couldn’t glorify God and live in the identity He planned for me.

It’s a mistaken identity if you think you are unusable to God, unloved, or an unworthy sinner. That identity was before the blood of Jesus saved you! If you have accepted Jesus into your heart, you are now a new creation in Christ! The old identity is washed away, and the new has taken its place.

Psalm 139:14 says,

“I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Wonderful are Your works; my soul knows it very well.”

He made you because He loves you, and He wants to spend time with you! He enjoys your personality, charm, humor, and all the good stuff He put inside of you that shines through you! He wants all of you to shine for Him.  To light up the world with that one trait that identifies you from the rest of the world. The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy and your identity is one of the biggest ones he can steal to destroy you and the works God has planned and purposed for you.

So, how do we become who God created us to be? By spending time with God. The more time we spend in God’s presence, the more our desires line up with His perfect will for us, and the more we become who God created us to be. Pray, and ask God to help you desire His will versus your own. When we put God first above everything else, He gives us the desires of our hearts (as long as they line up with His will for us, remember).

Romans 8:28 says,

“And we know all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

So, when you look in the mirror, remember, that your identity is who God says you are, not the enemy. You can now see the reflection of Jesus in yourself. You are the one He loves and adores, and He longs to spend time with, yes, you! You are a new creation in Christ; your identity is in Him.

“Heavenly Father, thank you that I am fearfully and wonderfully made! That I was created in Your image for great works. Help me make room for You to make me more like Jesus. Help me remember that I am who You say I am. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

Beth Nahkala
Lean into Jesus Ministries
#bethnahkalablogs