Who am I?

That question can mean different things to different people.  Our upbringings, life experiences and family history can all paint a picture of who we think we are, but so can our mistakes, failures and bad choices.  We are labeled by what church we go to, our beliefs, employment, the schools we attend and even what part of the country or world we live in.  All these descriptions label us and can sometimes limit the choices we make in life.  Our labels can keep us thinking that since this is “who we are,” we should just continue the status quo.

Do you realize, though, that we probably don’t think about who we truly are — we only live in the “truth” of who we think we are? Our “truth” might consist of beliefs like, “I’ve made so many bad choices, I’ll never be this,” or “I will never be able to do that.”

If this is an everyday thought for you, I want to encourage you with a different truth — the ultimate truth.  As Christians, God paints a distinct portrait of us — one we don’t always choose to see simply because we are stuck in our own truth.  And because our truth can often become a very comfortable place to live, we don’t even try to see what God sees in us.  We may even think that God’s portrait might require us to work harder or to never make mistakes.

So what exactly does God say about us, and how does it match up with what we think about ourselves?  Do you know that according to 2 Corinthians 5:21, we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14) and that we are no longer slaves to sin because we have been set free (Romans 8:2)?  The God of all things declares this to be true of His children.

What about our failures or our mistakes? How do they fit in to God’s picture?  Remember this truth as well: Isaiah 43:45 says “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.”  God intentionally forgets our sins for His “own sake.” If the holy and blameless God can forget our sins against Him, then that grace should set us free. We are not chained by guilt and shame because we have been wiped clean by Christ on the cross.

So what truth are you living in? Or better yet, whose truth are you living in?  Make a choice today to live your life the way God sees you.  After all, He is your creator!