Ok, please remember that I am no counselor or bible scholar, but a girl who loves Jesus and strives to listen to Him daily. You may agree or disagree with some thoughts, and that is so okay. This is what I was feeling in my spirit at this time. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
What or who defines you?
Is it your job, accolades, money, material things, or your status in the community or your occupation or school? Is it your past? The latter came to the forefront of my mind when speaking with a friend recently. During a casual conversation with others, they blurted out an unpleasant incident that happened in their earlier life. This spillage of information wasn’t to share anything more than what was said, then the conversation continued. There was no elaboration.
Later, I pondered on what had happened and how this person often brings up other sadnesses from their past. Again, the conversation doesn’t lead anywhere except as if to say “I’ve been there and done that”.
Later, I spoke with my friend and asked them the question, “what defines you?”, and how I have noticed that they often bring up the past in casual conversation as if they permit their past to define them.
It allowed me to expand on my thoughts that:
- Your past is your past. There is a time and place to share something that has happened to you (good or bad). When doing so, it should be to bring glory to God, not to have others turn their head like a puppy and wonder why you brought it up. There have been times in my life when a thought from the past would arise and I could have totally said my “I’ve been there and done that” moment, but what would have been my intention? Would it have been to show sympathy (which isn’t a bad thing, but maybe the person you are converting with needs to vent and let this be their moment), yet common sympathy was all that would be given? Would it be to “one up” someone? (Which this can often lead to them feeling more insignificant while they are currently going through their season.) I believe that when we go through those difficult times in life, and God brings us through and out of them, we can use these seasons. We can use them to either share, at the right time…God’s timing, how we made it through with God, and give Him all the glory. We can use them to give others hope without them knowing the whole story. We can use these items of difficulty to definitely grow closer to God and fall more in love with Christ and his faithfulness, love, grace, and forgiveness.
- Don’t allow your past to define you, yet Christ. People do cling to their past mistakes/difficult circumstances/etc and have a hard time moving on. Friend, I want you to recognize your worth in Jesus Christ. When you seek to put the Lord first in all you do, you find yourself living…truly living a life of abundance and appreciation. Finding your identity in Jesus will lighten your whole self and give you a sense of joy through ANY circumstance.
There are a plethora of bible verses I could share with you, but here are just a few and thoughts I want you to ponder on:
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17 *When you become a Christian you have begun a new life…a life with Christ. Did you read the first part of the last sentence in the verse? The old life is gone!! Maybe you need to take a deep breath, forgive yourself, and feel God’s arms wrapped around you. Nuzzle up to the fact that He loves you so much, and thinks that you are His masterpiece.
For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. ”. Hebrews 8:12 *I just mentioned that just maybe you need to forgive yourself. Well…God not only forgives, He forgets! I lean towards the belief that you can (need to!!) forgive yourself, but when you have a tendency to remember instead of forget, that is when you can thank God for seeing you through it, bring glory to God, and…yea…share when you feel the Holy Spirit nudging you to do so and bring glory to God.
But you are his chosen people, the King’s priests. You are a holy nation, people who belong to God. He chose you to tell about the wonderful things he has done. He brought you out of the darkness of sin into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 *Well here you go! THIS is what I’ve been talking about.
God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us new people so that we would spend our lives doing the good things he had already planned for us to do. Ephesians 2:10 *Oh, sweet friend, God has such amazing plans for you! When you have that new life in Christ, do good…do His will…do.
Jesus continued to say to all of them, “Any of you who want to be my follower must stop thinking about yourself and what you want. You must be willing to carry the cross that is given to you every day for following me. Luke 9:23 Stop living for yourself. Live for Christ. He died for you…live for Him.
But if we confess our sins, God will forgive us. We can trust God to do this. He always does what is right. He will make us clean from all the wrong things we have done. 1 John 1:9 *There’s not a more simple way to say that. The hardest part for some is trusting. Putting your trust in man…sure, you will get disappointed at times. Putting your trust in God…He will NEVER disappoint.
You are young, but don’t let anyone treat you as if you are not important. Be an example to show the believers how they should live. Show them by what you say, by the way you live, by your love, by your faith, and by your pure life. 1 Timothy 4:12 *No matter the age or the stage…repeat this and fill in the blank with your name: __________, don’t let anyone treat you as if you are not important. ______, be an example to show the believers how they should live. Show them by what you say, by the way ______ lives, by ______’s love, by _______’s faith, and by _______’s pure life. You are worthy!
Thanks for joining me today. I pray that you find freedom in Christ, dig deeper into His word, and fall more in love with Him daily.
Blessings to you and yours,
Stephanie
(The photo above has nothing to do with the journal entry, except for the fact that we live an abundant life in Christ and are joyful.)
