Happy 2024. As we come back together via the online world I am so excited to start a 8 week series about identity. We will go through what the Bible says about who we are and take some time to process out some potential snares that the enemy might be using to hinder you from having a life of abundance in Christ. Now these next 8 weeks will be a process of creating a firm identity in Christ. For many of us we have grown up with the same lies and same struggles for years. But with the power of the cross God changes and transforms our mind so that we can be more like Him.
You are enough!
”But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.“ 1 Peter 2:9 NIV
ENOUGH: sufficient to answer a need, demand, supposition, or requirement; adequate
The question of being enough can come up in all areas of life. Oftentimes we can start operating out of, “not being enough”. I know that question has come up almost everyday for many years. This feeling or belief can come from not understanding your value.
When you don’t feel like you are enough:
People pleasing
Striving
Often anxiety
Not being able to say no
You lower your standards
You don’t take care of yourself
You don’t honor your desires
Thinking that you are not enough stems from you not understanding your value. Maybe your value has been in sports performance, in academic achievements, in physical appeal, in career achievements. The list goes on.
Stop right now and reassess your life and ask yourself what you put value in? This can oftentimes be a good indicator of what dictates you as being, “enough”. Yet if we put too much value in anything of this world we will start conforming to the patterns of this world.
God’s word says, ”Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.“ Romans 12:2 NIV. This means that we have to one, protect our mind, two that our minds need to be renewed. We must first UPROOT the lie of, “not being enough”, in order to replace it with the truth of God’s word. We have to uproot what makes us feel valuable and replace it with the truth of God’s word.
What can often happen however is that Christians cling to scripture which is good but forget that the old root of the lie that they once believed is stuck in the brain and heart. This process and questions will help you learn how to uproot the old lie and so you can function in the truth of God’s word. This will be a small crash course of a journey through mind renewal. I have some of the best mentors who have helped me in the deep process of God changing the way I think by uprooting old brain patterns. The more time you take to process the deeper the truth will go and the more you will start to function out of the truth.
Your value is not in what others say about you but in the finished work of the cross. God who created you is the one who determines your worth and value, and He said that you were so valuable that you were worth dying for. God sent His son Jesus to pay the price for your sin because you are enough to Him. That is a love worth giving your whole life to.
Questions:
What childhood wound told me I wasn’t enough?
When did I first feel like I wasn’t enough?
Whose approval am I trying to be enough for?
Reflect and Process:
Now that you have a list of moments where you didn’t feel like you were enough, invite Jesus into them. What (from what you know) would Jesus say about the situation? Take sometime and close your eyes and visualize Him in the room/field/kitchen with you. The more you visualize and go back ( yes go back to 3 year old you if you can) and allow Jesus to wash over those memories and lies with the truth.
Challenge:
Take a sticky note and write this weeks verse and put it on the mirror you have when you get ready every morning. Everytime you look in the mirror and into your own eyes remind yourself of the truth!
”But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.“
1 Peter 2:9 NIV