Letting words describe us, not define us.

Carlos here and the other night at an event I heard something that has stuck with me for days now.

“Words can describe us, but they don’t have to define us”

How often do we let words like “divorced” keep us from letting God use us because we feel like we have been disqualified? Or words like “recovering addict” keep us from speaking to others about their struggle? Yes, you may have gone through a divorce or have recovered from an addiction or have wayward kids or multiple failed attempts at truly living for God. Yes, those words can describe your life. But they don’t have to define WHO you are. 

That’s the beauty of the cross. How God can take the brokenness, the shame, the guilt, and from the mess that we are make us new and completely REDEFINE our lives. A life in Christ means turning away from the old crap that used to hold us and letting God reshape us and remake us. We just need to remember it and believe it. Grab hold of who God has made you and let go of the old junk. 

Try this. Repeat this daily. Remind yourself of who you really are…

I’m a / I was a _________ (divorcee, former addict, whatever your “it” is) but thats not WHO I AM. I’ve been made new and that doesn’t define me.

If I were going to do this for me it would be…

I’m a former womanizer but thats not WHO I AM. I’ve been made new and that doesn’t define me. 

Now tell yourself, remind yourself and live the life GOD made you to live. Believe in the redemptive power of the cross and stop picking up the old life, the old definitions, the old thought patterns and let God be enough.