If you’ve been reading this series and have gotten to this point, thank you. I have been a hot mess with most of the content in addition to the stuff – the hurts that I’ve been wading through that has consumed much of my focus. It’s when you’re sharing God’s truth, His goodness that’s found on every single page of the Bible, and tearing down the lies that the enemy has used to keep us bound in shackles that the enemy seems to really come after you.
Whenever we start to recognize that we were set free from our fallen state, that we’ve been redeemed by our crucified and risen Savior, the enemy will do whatever he can to prevent us from shaking the chains off completely. As I approached the last two posts, I knew that it would bring a lot of hurts back to the forefront of my mind. Hurts that I’ve been working through for months. Hurts that I buried alive long ago but that are still calling my name from the grave I put them in.
It’s time they become silent once and for all.
Having the right approach to God and knowing what kind of character He has is vitally important in order for us to get this next part right. I stated in my last post that I was going to be talking about our identity. It just may not be what you’re expecting.
I could go into the nuances of every attribute that describes who we are according to God’s Word, but most of it would be in one ear and out the other. A few of the identifying markers we possess would have you nodding along because you’ve either simply heard it before or you remind yourself from time to time that’s who you’re supposed to be. When I asked my husband about his identity according to God, he immediately spouted off that he’s blessed and highly favored. So very true! Some of you would, like I mentioned, nod along because you’ve heard it before.
But have you accepted it as yours?
I could spout off all the identities that we have as God’s kiddos (that’s one right there!), but it will mean nothing if we don’t have something solidified in our core being: we are seen, we are loved, and we are valued.
I recently heard it said that if there is any area of your life that isn’t glistening with hope, then in that specific area you’re believing a lie. In any area that you’re not glistening with hope, you’re believing that God isn’t good enough or doesn’t love you enough. Perhaps that’s a little bold – I may have just lost a few readers.
We all seem to be on board with being loved by God when we’re doing really, really well. When we’re serving and happy and all seems to be just right, we’re safe in the knowledge of being loved by God. But then we mess up. Our knowledge tells us that we’re still loved, but we often can’t seem to convince ourselves that it’s really true.
When I say that God wants to love us when we’re at our worst there are so many people who would agree. But when I paint a picture of a time when I was in the middle of a drunken binge and couldn’t walk, talk or think straight, some of you would hesitate. I would hesitate! For someone who struggles with porn, you are loved even while looking at porn! It’s not a fleeting feeling that comes and goes based on our performance – it is literally your identity.
But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 NIV
While we were still drunks… while we were still looking at porn… while we were still lying… while we were harboring unforgiveness… while we were on our way to Hell, God loved us so much that He sent His Son – a part of His own self – and took our punishment.
You are seen, you are loved, and you are valued.
The woman who was caught in adultery (John 8:1-11) was seen, loved, and valued. She was brought before Jesus – she wasn’t coming to Him in an effort to repent. Not once did it state that she was wanting or willing to change from the life she was leading. But she was seen by Jesus. She didn’t clean herself up before coming to Jesus. She didn’t get her mess together before coming to Jesus. She probably wasn’t even wanting to stand before Jesus. But she encountered her true identity when Jesus looked at her.
We’ve all been the woman caught in adultery at one point or another (or many points). But have we allowed His love for us to become our identity? Have we recognized that He sees us, loves us, and values us? Even in our mess?
What about the parable of the lost son (Luke 15:11-31)? We often call this the story of the prodigal son. He decided that he wanted his inheritance early. What I read in this is that the son thought he knew better and wanted what he wanted because his father knew nothing. Sound about right? After his father gave him his money, he squandered it with wild living (he probably got drunk and did more than some looking – he was a party animal!). But the money ran out and he was about to eat the slop given to the animals, but not just any animals – animals that were considered unclean!
After he came to his senses, he decided to go back to his father and ask to live and work there as a servant. He didn’t get cleaned up for this job interview either. He probably smelled horrible, looked a mess, and had nothing to show for the inheritance that he had been given. His father saw him from a far off distance and ran out to greet him. Before he could even speak to his father, he was greeted with an embrace of love. The father didn’t stop there – he had the best robe brought out for him, a ring placed on his hand (speaks of value, identity, and authority), and had shoes put on his feet.
Not only did his father love him while he was a mess, but his love was closely followed by cleaning him up.
Did you notice that? He loved him before he cleaned him. He was seen by his father, loved by his father, and valued by his father.
With being able to approach God because I know He’s a good, good Father, I have come to question Him from time to time. That sounds bad but hear me out. I question Him by asking Him what areas He wants to love me in. What areas of my thoughts, my life, my heart are needing to know and be cleaned up by His love?
If there’s any area that’s not glistening with hope, then I’m believing the lie that I’m not loved by God.
As a mother, I often ask my kiddos how they’re doing. Sometimes they’ll come to me with grievances (typically in regard to a sibling squabble), but there are often deeper places to explore. Two years ago, our youngest became a middle child when we welcomed a new baby into the family. Sometimes she needs the reassurance that she’s still seen, loved, and valued since the family dynamics have shifted so much away from what it was.
You are seen, loved, and valued. Take some time when talking with God to ask Him what areas He wants to focus His love for you in. What areas do you need that reassurance? What mess do you need His love to clean up? He sees you, He loves you, and He values you to the point of His Son’s death on the cross. Your identity starts with being loved by God. All of the other stuff is simply bonus goodies that come with being seen, loved, and valued by our Savior.