Description
My identity is not my body frame but who I am in relation to my Creator. What does He say about me? I need to live by that. Let us journey together through this devotional and discover who we are and how God has uniquely wired each of us for His divine purposes.
Day 1 – Introduction
Hirsutism is hardly talked about, yet it carries a great deal of shame, fear, a sense of unworthiness, and stigma. Shame is a demeaning and destructive force that affects one’s self-image and perceived identity. It is a broken mirror that reflects a distorted image, however much beauty there is on the inside. People stare. Some, bold enough but insensitive, throw around hurtful comments. Is hirsutism my identity? Absolutely not.
How, then, should our body image relate to the image within? Does my physique define me? In isolation, it should not. As followers of Christ, we know that the body is a temporary house that hosts us while we are on this side of heaven. If we spend a lifetime throwing a pity party over our “house,” we will miss out on the core of who we are and the very reasons God put us here on earth.
The best mirror for our identity is the Word of God. Jesus Christ is the perfect model, showing us how to live. Join me in this devotional as I share with you the Scriptures that have helped me transform my inner image. There are four areas that Christ emphasized concerning His identity: who He was, where He was from, His mission, and where He was going. When we have a clear understanding of these areas in our own lives, our outward appearance becomes secondary. I do not mean that we neglect our bodies, but that we can choose to live without unnecessary obsession with them. It is lovely to know that God calls each one of us by our unique name; that is our identity. It has nothing to do with our body image.
Scripture Readings
Isaiah 43:1
Matthew 16:13-19
Day 2 – Who am I?
You and I are definitely more than what can be seen with the naked eye or touched. Here, see the many encouraging and affirming “I am” statements that define you and me. There is much more to discover in the perfect mirror, which is the Word of God.
I am created in the image and likeness of God; body, soul, and spirit—according to His Word in Genesis 1:26–27. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am a child of God by virtue of believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. I am God’s masterpiece, and so are you, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10). We will explore this further when we discuss our mission.
I am precious and honored in His sight. He has engraved my name (identity) on the palms of His hands. I am no stranger to Him. My heavenly Father knows who I am even more than I know myself. He knows me intimately; even the very hairs on my head are numbered. I am loved just as I am. I am the apple of His eye.
Knowing who we are is very important because certain seasons and circumstances will challenge these “I am” truths about our identity, just as it happened for Jesus when He was tempted in the wilderness for forty days. When those seasons come, they should find us firmly grounded and immovable in the knowledge of who we are and whose we are, so that we do not compromise to prove ourselves.
Scripture Readings
Psalm 139:1-7
Isaiah 49:16
John 1:12
Day 3 – Where did I come from?
In Genesis 2:7, God breathed into Adam to give him life. Adam’s spirit came from God. It is God’s breath in our lungs. Ecclesiastes 12:7 says that upon physical death, the body is returned to the earth, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. We come from God.
In John 17:8, as Jesus prayed for His disciples, He commended them for receiving God’s Word and believing that He had come from Heaven. That is where our spirits come from, too. Though born of a woman, Jesus, the God-man, was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. Parents are not the owners of their children but their custodians. Our heavenly Father is the true Owner.
In African settings, the question, “Where do you come from?” is very common. People often interpret your behavior and form certain expectations of you when they know your place of origin, tribe, and clan. The older generation can often tell where young people are from within certain communities by inquiring about their surnames.
When James and John sought Jesus’ permission in Luke 9:54–55 to call down fire from heaven to consume some Samaritans who had rejected them, He firmly rebuked them, reminding them to be aware of the spirit they were of. Their act would have displayed power, but it would have been inconsistent with where they were from. In essence, He was telling them that when you come from Heaven, you are a life-giver, not a life-taker.
Scripture Readings
Ecclesiastes 12:7
John 17:8
Luke 9:54–55
Day 4 – Where am I going?
Earth is not our final home. We will return to where we came from. According to Philippians 3:18–20, our citizenship is in Heaven. It also teaches us not to be overly concerned with earthly things and not to make our stomachs our god. Here, the stomach represents anything that is not of eternal value. We should not live only for the here and now.
We need an eternal perspective and goals aligned with our purpose here on earth. Heaven is where we will spend the rest of eternity, and, gladly for me, not in this body! In John 14:1–6, Jesus encouraged His disciples not to be sorrowful because He was going back to Heaven to prepare a place for them—their final abode. God requires that we have an eternal mindset in everything we do here on earth. We, as believers in Christ, are in the world but not of the world.
This perspective also disarms our fear of physical death. The Apostle Paul said that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. That is comforting. In an instant, the transition happens. Have you heard stories of, or been present with, believers who were on the verge of transitioning? They describe what they are seeing, and often whom they are seeing, with such conviction, much like the martyr Stephen in the book of Acts. To us, it may sound like a vision or hallucination. To them, it is a reality to which their eyes have been opened. Heaven is real!
Scripture Readings
Philippians 3:18–20
John 14:1-6
Acts 7:54-60
Day 5 – What am I here for?
Between where we came from and where we are going back to lies a task, a purpose, a mission that we must fulfill on earth for God. Each person has a unique assignment. In Jeremiah 1:5, God tells Jeremiah that He knew him before he was formed in his mother’s womb, meaning that he existed before birth and already had his appointed mission—to be a prophet to the nations. Samson, too, had a clear purpose: to deliver the Israelites from the Philistines. His mission was announced to his mother in Judges 13:5 before he was conceived.
Sometimes people know their purpose outright, but at other times, one has to seek God diligently to discover it. Our life’s journey is also a great indicator of what God has been doing in and through us all along. I look back at my infertility journey, grief, and struggles with self-image and see how God allowed me to go through difficult seasons that have helped me authentically encourage others in similar situations. The pieces of the puzzle started to fit together slowly but surely. My scars are purpose-filled!
Knowing what on earth you are here for opens the door to purposeful and intentional living. Our God-ordained missions are bigger than we can accomplish on our own. They often sound and look ridiculous. However, when you look deeper within, they always resonate with who you have been from the very beginning. Deep down, it will not feel strange. You will know it is your assignment. It is a joy to know that God is there to help us fulfill His purposes.
Another beauty of purposeful living is that the desire to please others fades away. There is no competition and no need for envy or jealousy. Everyone has a unique role to play in God’s Kingdom, and they should be busy attending to it.
We must be keenly aware that this assignment serves God’s purposes for His Kingdom. Saul, later known as Paul, zealously served his purpose, but for the wrong kingdom, before he met Christ. His conversion shows that God’s mercy is still available to help us turn around and serve Him meaningfully in the assignments that He ordained for us even before we were born. Christ also redeems time. When we find our assignment, we should remain humble and connected to Him for the supply we need to fulfill it.
Scripture Readings
Jeremiah 1:5
Judges 13:5
Galatians 1:13-17
No comment