Who I Am

I never cease to be amazed by how God works. Sometimes my blogs take a bit to get to the main starting point, but tonight, I'm just sitting here writing this and in awe that the Most High would orchestrate the evening to culminate with a song that I needed to hear. If you've read any of my blogs, you know that music is one thing that has a way of getting in deep to the heart of hearts. Music has often been what smacks me with truth. Tonight was no different. 

Remind Me Who I Am - Jason Gray

Truth - it's easy to fall prey to the lies of this world. How many of these have you heard? "You're stupid. You'll never measure up. You'll never be as good as . . . You're fat. You're ugly. You're worthless. You're a slut. You're not worth my time or energy. You're expendable. You're replaceable. You're unlovable. No one cares about you. No one wants you around. There is nothing good about you. You have nothing to offer." Do I need to go on? Is that list enough to trigger a "Yeah, I've heard that." Is it enough to trigger a "Yeah, I believe that about me (or have believed that about me)." And honestly, I'm sure I've missed a few. These are just a few I have heard. 

Where do the lies come from? Have you heard them from someone - maybe someone you love or who you thought loved you? Do you just hear them in your head - seeds planted by the ugliness of the world we live in or perhaps even by the forces of darkness at work in this present age. Maybe it's some combination of these. All you know for sure is that there are days - maybe even stretches of time - when you feel like you're simply taking up space and you really don't matter.

So you "try" and you "do" in hopes of overcoming those things you hear in your head. You try to bury them, put on a happy face, say it's ok and move on. The problem is, now you're lying to yourself as well.  And fine, take that approach but things are just brewing and bubbling below the surface and at some point I guarantee they will erupt. How that happens or looks is different for everyone but very rarely (if ever) is it pretty. 

We try to dull the feelings or refocus them to something else. Drugs, alcohol, sex, doing good things to compensate, rebelling, self-injury, exercise . . . the list is endless. And yes, we even do things that would generally be "good" for us to drown out what is running through our heads. But none of that is ever going to fix and heal the heart. We are still wearing the same labels. And in order to truly move on, we have to be relabeled. We have to learn who we are because of Him. 

Do you need to be reminded of who you are? Can you see your new labels? Do you need to know what He calls you?

You are beloved. "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine." You are holy - God's chosen ones. You are a new creation - the old has gone, all things have been made new. You are beautiful. You are royalty. You are desired. You are wanted. You are forgiven. You are righteous. You are His child. You are free. You are an heir. You are blameless. You are redeemed. You are His masterpiece. You are complete. You are beloved. You are beloved. You are beloved. 

It's time. Let Him remove the lies and place His name on you. Let Him call you who you are. Will it be easy? No. Will you never think about the lies ever again? Oh how I wish that were true. But if nothing else, be reminded and take the label - beloved. Because that's who and what you are. 

"When I lose my way, And I forget my name, Remind me who I am. In the mirror all I see, Is who I don't wanna be, Remind me who I am. In the loneliest places, When I can't remember what grace is.

Tell me once again who I am to You, Who I am to You. Tell me lest I forget who I am to You,
That I belong to You. To You.

When my heart is like a stone, And I'm running far from home, Remind me who I am. When I can't receive Your love, Afraid I'll never be enough, Remind me who I am. If I'm Your beloved, Can You help me believe it.

Tell me once again who I am to You, Who I am to You, whoa. Tell me lest I forget who I am to You. That I belong to You. To You.

I'm the one you love, I'm the one you love, That will be enough, I'm the one you love.

Tell me once again who I am to You. Who I am to You. Tell me lest I forget who I am to You,
That I belong to You, oh.

Tell me once again who I am to You. Who I am to You. Tell me lest I forget who I am to You,
That I belong to You. To You."