Do you feel like you are being pulled in a million directions? Let’s talk about that for a minute. What are the things that pull at you-require your attention-fill up your calendar? We are moms, dads, sisters, uncles, teachers, leaders, speakers, attorneys, entrepreneurs, doctors, grandparents, coaches, carpool drivers—we have many roles to play, and we have endless responsibilities. I would guess your calendars are fully booked to overflowing and the demands on your time and energy just keep coming.
In all the roles assigned to you, can you answer this question-Who are you?
What about this one-Who does God say you are?
This month, we are going to spend some time talking about identity. It is one of my favorite topics to discuss. I have spent a great deal of my energy over the years learning all I can about this topic. God always has something new to show me. And when God shows me something new, I always think of you. Swimming upstream together as we focus on being as mentally healthy as possible has deep roots in knowing who we are and who God says we are. What we can all be guilty of is looking around us or looking to the world to tell us who we really are. We let our eyes drift from the Son, from who God says we are, and run the risk of losing sight of who we are truly called to be.
Who Are You?
You are a child of God.
Maybe you have experienced a season when you have had difficulty seeing yourself as God sees you. Perhaps you find yourself in that season right now. My gut tells me that we all have seasons where it’s difficult to believe the truths about who God says we are. The Bible tells us we are wonderfully made, but we look in the mirror and just don’t feel like that’s true. God tells us that we are overcomers, but our lives are filled with challenges, and we have a hard time seeing ourselves overcoming them.
Can we talk about the gap between how God sees us and how we see ourselves? This gap can be crippling and damaging to our mental wellness. That is why the 40 I Ams are critical when it comes to my mental wellness. I have a set of 40 I Ams cards that I always keep with me. I I put them on my mirror in the bathroom, on the dashboard in my car, I keep them in the kitchen on the fridge. The world can be loud and can distract us from God’s voice. These statements serve as reminders of the truth of who God says we are.
Who Does God Say You Are?
You are loved and approved.
When you see yourself as God sees you, the opinions of others carry less weight. This is what freedom really is. Living life from a place of knowing you are loved and approved is the beginning of healing from much of your depression and anxiety. Remember, freedom is not the absence of those issues, but the peace and power of God in the middle of them. Freedom isn’t a “one and done” experience. It’s a journey.
You are not your past.
Yes-your history is part of your story. But your mistakes, sin, and heartbreaks are not who you are. God sees your past and loves you in spite of your mistakes. He even knows the mistakes you will make in the future, and yes-He sees it all, and He loves you no matter what. Let Him help you deal with your past. Ask Him to send people your way to help you work through it. Pray that you can find a community of people to help remind you of how He sees you. You are not your past. You are His.
How Do We Keep Our Eyes Up
Fill your mind with God’s truth.
The world will try and tell you that you are what you eat or weigh, that your beauty is found in the smoothness of your skin or the whiteness of your teeth, that your importance is directly tied to the car you drive, or your neighborhood or kid’s school. We need to fill our minds with the truth of God’s word. When we read the Bible, we are reminded of who God is and how He sees us. We are also given guidance on the best ways to live our lives. If we want to know what God says about us, grab your Bible and read the words He says about us.
Talk to the One who created you.
We started off talking about our schedules and calendars. Look at yours. How much time are you spending with God? The way we get to know someone is by spending time with them. It’s important that a part of our day is spent with God. You may spend time with Him first thing in the morning-maybe at lunch or the evening may work best for you. When you are spending time with him, whenever it is, ask Him to show you how He sees you so that you can be reminded of how to see yourself. Thank Him for being at work in your life, shaping you into His image. Ask Him to remind you throughout your day of how He sees you.
Don’t Swim Alone
You know, there is a reason that gobies swim in schools. Why? Because we were created for connection to others. And when Jesus uses you to speak truth to me, it awakens my awareness of His presence in my life. I have hundreds of stories of times that I have been struggling and that someone has spoken something to me that I haven’t been feeling to be true. The truth about who God says I am brings life to my soul. It’s not something I can always hear on my own. It is wise for me to surround myself with people who remind me of who God says I am.
Here are two tools you can use this month to spend time with God doing your best to keep your eyes on the Son! Click the pics below to get your free downloads. And be sure and check out the Goby Store for merch that not only looks great, but will serve as reminders to always keep your Eyes Up!
