Hola amigos! It is currently 5:06 p.m. (My mind is blown the day went by that fast) and I am sitting on my back-porch enjoying the weather because if you live in south Georgia there are only two season: winter and a SCORCHING summer. And it has always been that way, so I am enjoying the cooler weather while I can. I hope everything are good on y'alls side of the screen, and that you are hopefully enjoying my little rant.
TOPIC: IDENTITY
Identity is something everyone struggles with. There are several ways we struggle with identity, but I am only going to discuss two here today.
Identity in our friends.
Friends are a HUGE part of our lives! Bigger than most people realize. Friends encourage, strengthen, pray, and just really are there for us in our time of need. One of my closest friends went through a scary time when he lost his thumb in an accident. Two days later, something happened to my family and I that changed out lives forever, but that is another story for another time. Anyway, my point is, my friend and I were there for each other during that time and we prayed and just talked. That's all it takes.
Ecclesiastes 4:10- "If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up".
BUT, we can develop friendships with toxic people. People who criticize our personality, critique our style, and sneer at our faith. We take those words to heart and we believe those lies that are feed to us by Satan through that friendship, but Genesis 1:27 says, "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them."
God created us in HIS OWN IMAGE. That is worth saying again: GOD CREATED US IN HIS OWN IMAGE!!! So forget what your toxic friend said, distance yourself from them or end the friendship if you have to, and surround yourself with christians and the friends who build you up, and don't tear you down.
2. Identity in social media.
Social media is HUGE. People are OBSESSED with it. Instagram, facebook, snapchat, tiktok, and twitter are an identity TRAP. We see what celebrities and everyone else's lives look like, and then we look at our lives and think theirs is better! Or we look at his/her body, their kitchen, their clothes, their car, their house, their boyfriend/girlfriend, their friendship, their job, and their looks and think:
"Their life is so much better than mine! Why can't I have their life!?"
But the truth is: They post only what they want you to see! I think that bears repeating: THEY POST ONLY WHAT THEY WANT YOU TO SEE!! So all the filters, pictures, and videos you see, is the perfection they want you to see and believe. If you look at what God has provided you and what you have, you'll see that your life is amazing!
Colossians 4:2 says," Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful."
So if you find yourself comparing yourself to those on social media, remember your identity is in Christ and thank the Lord for what He has given you.
I am going to be transparent for a second, I struggle with my body. I look at people like, Natasha Bure, Lexi Rivera, Gigi Hadid, and Candace Cameron, and I look at myself and think, "Why can't I be skinnier?" But then I remember, God created me in His image, and my identity is my own.
You are not alone in your battle with identity. It is an attack from Satan to cause you to question your identity in Christ. Whenever you start to question, just pray to the Lord to banish those doubts, and to only focus on Him.
“The more we focus on who we are in Christ, the less it matters who we were in the past, or even what happened to us.”
― Joyce Meyer
BOTTOM LINE: Our identity is in Christ and not anything or anyone else.
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This was much appreciated. Thank you.