Finding Your True Self

 

By Andrea Merrell

 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;

old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

 

My friend and I were discussing the past, which brought up a plethora of memories—many good, others not so much.

I thought about the struggles I faced in those earlier years with fear. Low self-esteem. Anger. Trying desperately to fit in. I was, as they say, a hot mess.

Fortunately, I hardly recognize that person any longer. In a way, it’s like she never existed. It’s hard to look back and try to remember her at all because so much has changed.

The Bible explains it as becoming a new creation in Christ. The old passes away, and everything becomes new. The Passion translation puts it like this:

Now, if anyone is enfolded into Christ, he has become an entirely new person. All that is related to the old order has vanished. Behold, everything is fresh and new.

During those rough years, I had no clue who I was. I constantly searched for my identity, my true self. And it was only found when I realized who I am in Christ. How He sees me. What He says about me in His Word. Once I surrendered completely to Him, my life changed dramatically and I became, just as the Bible says, an entirely new person.

If you’re searching to find your true self, stop looking in all the wrong places. Your worth, your identity, and all that you were created to be is found only in Christ.

Photo by Giulia Bertelli on Unsplash

Finding Your True Self

By Andrea Merrell

Sometimes we can spend a lifetime trying to “find” ourselves. We set goals, read self-help books, and maybe even seek counseling. All these things are helpful, but our true identity can only be found in Christ.

Finding ourselves also means loving ourselves, which is a hard concept for some. The Bible tells us not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to (Romans 12:3), but there’s a big difference in being arrogant vs. being comfortable in our own skin.

These are some of the biblical attributes of a believer who has found his or her identity in Christ—filled with His love and abiding in His presence:

• Confident but humble.
• Honest and transparent.
• Not given to anger.
• Doesn't take himself too seriously.
• Quick to esteem others.
• Polite and considerate of others.
• Quick to listen and slow to speak.
• Unafraid of commitment.
• Not easily shaken.
• Not easily offended.
• Well-spoken of.
• A good example to others.

Since we’re well into the first month of 2019, let’s take these words by Sarah Young in Jesus Calling to heart:

I am leading you along a way that is uniquely right for you. The closer to me you grow, the more fully you become your true self—the one I designed you to be. Because you are one of a kind, the path you are traveling with me diverges increasingly from that of other people. However, in My mysterious wisdom and ways, I enable you to follow this solitary path while staying in close contact with others. In fact, the more completely you devote yourself to me, the more freely you can love people.

Marvel at the beauty of a life intertwined with My Presence. Rejoice as we journey together in intimate communion. Enjoy the adventure of finding yourself through losing yourself in Me. ~Jesus

What better way to find your genuine self than by losing yourself in Him?

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net, winnond, and Stuart Miles.)

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