What defines you?

Can I ask you a question ? What defines you? Our world is full of labels: Government, healthcare, social economics,and people in general like to define us and put us in categories. Those labels can be so confining though and you begin to allow them to define you. When Jesus walked this earth, He didn’t let any situation or anyone define Him. He went around teaching truth, doing good and performing miracles. Some of the people said he was a liar, but Jesus disregarded what they said about Him. Even those who flattered Him, He disregarded. Jesus only listened to the words of His Heavenly Father. If Jesus had allowed people and situations to define Him, He would have never completed the missions God the Father sent Him to do.

Proverbs 23:7 says, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” That mans, our thoughts and beliefs shape our character, actions and ultimately our reality. We need to be so careful in what we think about and what we allow to define us. Here is an example. Once I was “labeled” as legally blind, it put me in a very confining “corner”. I can’t stand the label because in my mind I am not blind. Sure I can’t see what you see BUT I can see some and that to me counts. The same goes with the label of “deaf/hard of hearing”. I do have trouble comprehending speech (it fluctuates) but I’m on the porch right now listening to the birds sing. Quite often I challenge myself to listen to YoutTube videos. Sometimes I understand some of it and other times I flail, but I try. Last Sunday I watched Central Church early service from the back porch and I followed it well. It was like God was speaking right through Pastor, straight to my heart. Just the day before I had prayed pretty much exactly something Pastor said. “Lord do you hear me? Do you see my situation? Do you care?” You might wonder why I would pray such a thing. I pray and pray and pray some more and I’m still in this “furnace called life”. Oh boy! I needed that message so much and God in His power made sure I “got it”. If I listened to the labels of the world, I wouldn’t have even tried listening. But God is bigger than labels. He defines me and nothing else.

We are who God says we are. We can look into the very twisted mirror of this world OR we can look into the perfect law of liberty, God’s Word, As we study God’s Word we are being transformed. There is no more condemnation. The Bible gives us confidence to know that it doesn’t matter what people say about us, it only matters what God says about us. Let’s check out James 1:25, “But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.” (ESV) We don’t just want to hear the Word then forget it, we want to take action and do it. God’s Word transforms us as we hear it and study it.

We are not defined by past situations, the world or people. Some people let things that happened in the past, define them. Let’s think of some examples: It all went downhill wen I was diagnosed with _______, or when my child was diagnosed with __________, or I got divorced, or after surgery you became addicted to pain medicine, or you became addicted to _______ to deal with life, or you lost your job and your home. There are so many scenarios, but you see my point. God tells us to forget the former things. We can learn from it and move forward and trust Him. I love the New Living Translation of Isaiah 43:18-19, ““But forget all that— it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” (NLT‬‬) I just love that! That tells me to forget the labels, forget the diagnosis, forget all the limitations. I know, I know, I’ve prayed and prayed and prayed and am still waiting. But I choose to stand on God’s Word and His promises because HE IS FAITHFUL. Im going to listen to my Lord and do as He says. Forget the former things! He is up to something new in our lives. Can’t you see it? He’s making a way. Let’s watch as He creates things in the most unusual way. Why? Because He can! God loves YOU! You are not forgotten! He see you and will help you. From experience, His help is not usually in the way I anticipate it but He does help in one way or another. He comforts, lifts the broken hearted, gives strength and His perfect peace. He never fails.

Have a blessed week. http://www.shannonkhinson.com