So many Christians I am in contact with, seem to be struggling with their identity in Christ. The enemy is constantly accusing them of their past sins and telling them that they are fakes, not good enough, don’t measure up, and that they should be ashamed. These are all lies.
In my life, I have experienced this more times than I like to admit. Little things begin to happen that distract us and we take our eyes off Jesus and put them on ourselves, the circumstances of our lives, and the lives of those we love. We find ourselves not spending much time in His Word or in communication with Him which then allows open doors for the enemy to whisper his lies to us. It’s not intentional or even anything perceptible that sends us down this path, so we don’t recognize it until we are completely lost in it.
I remember a time when my child was lost in addiction and making horrible decisions, that not only affected him but his family and everyone close to him. At first, I prayed diligently but as the months went on and I was busy trying to make everything better (according to my thoughts, not God’s because I wasn’t communicating with Him) the enemy snuck in. I began to question “why was this happening?”, and the enemy began to tell me that it was my fault. That I wasn’t the mother I should have been or a godly example for him. I didn’t do the things I should have done and on, and on, and on. So therefore, my life was worthless, and I deserved all the pain I was experiencing. There was nothing I could do, and I probably was a hypocrite.
But God…
When I finally came to the end of myself and began to cry out to God asking for forgiveness, again. My ears were opened to listen to Him. I no longer had words to tell Him on how to fix things and was in a place to be still and listen (the best place and where I should have started). He began by reminding me that He had already forgiven me for my past sins the first time I confessed them and repented. In 1 John verse 9 is say’s, “If we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness”.
The problem was that I didn’t trust that His words were true. Ouch! So, I repented of that as well! I also asked for forgiveness from my pride and thinking that I knew better than He, and how things should be done in my child’s life. He reminded me that I am not anyone’s Holy Spirit, and my only job was to pray and follow His leading. He reminded me of what it says in Romans 5:1- “since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.” He wasn’t ashamed of me, I do measure up and I am enough because of Jesus who lives in me.
Many years later I heard these lyrics in a song:
“Lord, I’ve been told to be ashamed
Lord, I’ve been told I don’t measure up
Lord, I’ve been told I’m not good enough
But you’re here with me”
I absolutely love these lyrics! I have been told these things many times. By society, the enemy and even people that say they love me. I know you have too. But here’s the thing…The One who created the universe, the Almighty, all powerful, all-seeing all-knowing God is right here with me! He lives inside me, guards me, protects me, sings over me! He makes me enough and He does you too!
(Psalm 103: 12-14 NIV) 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.13As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.14for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.
