DEFINING OURSELVES
DEFINING OURSELVES
Recently, two sweet friends and I, went to the Women Walking with God conference, in Hartman arena in Wichita, Kansas. Once again, a beer sign was behind my booth. But it is an arena where so many events are held throughout the year, including ones they sell alcohol. So, before long I forgot that it was even there, because so many women came to my booth wanting to hear what my published books were about. I was able to tell them part of my story and several started to cry because they could identify with being a caregiver and the difficult road that involves. I would go around my booth, hug them, talk to them and pray with them. That is my purpose in having a booth there; to tell others my story and give women encouragement to keep on keeping on and not to give up hope in the midst of trials. (If you have never been to this amazing ladies’ conference, always held in the spring, go with me next year. It is a time to get away from everyday life-to find encouragement-be uplifted-participate in beautiful arena singing-a hilarious comedian, and an a carpella group. It is a time to refresh and renew our hearts and spirits for God!)
A few years ago, one of the speakers said she had talked to someone who felt like God would never forgive her for her thoughts, her sin, because she had done so much furthering the devil’s mission here on earth. She was defining herself by her sinful life. The speaker pointed out Paul of the Bible who committed terrible sins, but yet he was forgiven, which took away his definition of himself thru his sin and he went on to do amazing things. Saul, later called Paul, in Acts 8:3, “…he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.” Acts 9:1 tells us “Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord…” In the same chapter, the scriptures tell us that, God told Ananias, who was to teach Paul, that “…he is a chosen vessel…” And then later in that chapter, “Immediately he (Paul) preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.” Paul was a sinner, yet God forgave him and chose him to preach about Christ and go on to write some of the books of the New Testament. Paul was forgiven and went on to fulfill his God given purpose for his life.
God is a God of forgiveness and He has redeemed us. The meaning of redeemed is: to purchase. Jesus with His death on the cross, He paid the price to release us from the bondage of sin. Eph. 1:7-8, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence.” We are not defined by our weakness, but we are defined by the redemptive blood of Christ. We are defined by the fact that what Jesus did for us, gives us the fact that we are no longer a victim, but rather have victory and freedom from this world.
The lady above was defining herself by what the world called her: unworthy for God’s love and salvation, she thought she was unable to change, and was unforgiven. We look at ourselves in the mirror and tell ourselves these lies making us believe God cannot accept us back into His arms. These lies make us feel defined by relationships of the world we have and what people think about us; surrounding ourselves with those voices we listen to, thus giving the definition to ourselves, like the lady above. The only true one who can define us is the one who created us, our Creator, God. The negative definitions the world give us are not what God defines us by. He calls us: worthy of God’s love and of the redemptive power that His love has-we are forgiven-we are beautiful in God’s eyes-we no longer have to live in fear of our future. We are defined by what Jesus did for us on the cross.
So many stay in that box of their past sins, also defining others by the definition they have of themselves. The world gives them their definition of themselves. These are the work of the devil. We are saved from hell by a new life in Jesus. 2Corinthians 5:17 tell us “…if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” Romans 12:2 reads “…do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” My last blog, I talked about guarding our minds. Change starts in the mind and heart. A mind dedicated to the world will produce a life tossed back and forth by culture. But a mind dedicated to God’s truth will produce a life that can stand the test of time. We have to rest in the scriptures to help us thru those trials. Colossians 2:8-10 tells us “…put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth…put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge…” How do we renew-change our minds? We renew our minds, by reading the scriptures that give us knowledge of what types of people we need to be, in order to change our hearts and the definition we have of ourselves. Verse 11 of the same chapter, tells us some of the qualities a new mind should define ourselves with. “…put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another and forgiving one another…”
How are you defining yourself? Do you linger in the past sinfulness of the world’s definition or are you defining yourself by the promises that only our God can give us, knowing we are His child, and with that comes so much definition of who we truly are defined by. Today is the day! Change your mind and realize that the world’s definition, is Satan’s definition of who you are, and leave all that behind you. We need to reach to God’s definition of ourselves, which is full of promise-a new life in Him.
I hope that what she said, was a help and comfort to those in the audience who had told themselves the same lies. I pray that they realized that with setting a new mind towards God, through reading and meditating on scripture, that they could renew their definition of themselves. We must put away all the sins of the past and follow God’s definition of ourselves. Praise God, for Your promises and Your love!
Till next time! Keela