This is for you if… you’ve ever looked at your past and thought, “well, I botched that up.” Or, you’ve ever replayed old mistakes like a broken record, pasted labels on your life like grocery store stickers, or refused to allow wounds to heal because surely you don’t deserve to heal.
If you’ve ever wondered if God could really use someone like you – this is most definitely for you.
Or if others have ever incorrectly labeled you and you didn’t bother to correct them because it was easier to just let it go…
Come closer.
I’ve committed to only ever sling truth here on this site, and here’s the truth, sweet friend… you are who God says you are.
Your identity is not wrapped up in where you’ve been. Yes, your past may have shaped you. It does not define you. And no one else gets to define you or decide who you are, who you should be, or what your gifting is. That privilege belongs to your Creator alone.
Sit with me a minute, would ya? You might want to grab your Bible, your journal, and your coffee or tea. This is the kind of truth that is worth sitting and pondering for a bit.
Exposing the Lies
It’s funny how easily we accept names and labels that don’t come from God. Maybe you’ve worn one (or more) of these…
- too broken
- not enough
- failure
- unlovable
- always messing things up
- damaged goods
- The one who walked away
- The one who doesn’t finish what she starts
Those names, or labels, come from shame that is not from our Saviour. And they don’t get to stay. Because when you belong to Jesus, the old labels lose their sticky, and they must fall. The past doesn’t get to call the shots, and shame doesn’t get a seat at your table.
You are new. You are redeemed. You are His.
So, stop letting the enemy remind us of what God has already forgiven.
A New Creation in Christ
One of my favorite verses says this so plainly.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)
That “anyone” includes you.
It doesn’t say you’re a slightly improved version of yourself. It doesn’t say you’re a patchwork redemption. It says new. When you came to Jesus and really gave Him your heart, your trust, your life, He didn’t just clean you up. He gave you a new identity. Like receiving a new identity through the witness protection program, only better, because it’s:
- One that’s not built on your performance.
- One that’s not dependent on other people’s approval.
- One that’s not tied to your past.
- And one that can’t be taken away.
What God Says About You
So if you’re not your past, who are you? The Bible has a few things to say about you. Check this out…
You are chosen
“Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.” Ephesians 1:4 (NLT)
You are Loved
“I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.” Jeremiah 31:3 (NKJV)
You are Forgiven
“He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.“ Psalm 103:12 (NLT)
You are a Child of God
“But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:12 (NLT)
You are Not Condemned
“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1 (NLT)
You are His Workmanship
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV)
Friend, that’s your real identity. Not the one the world gave you. Not the one your past tried to assign. But the one Jesus died to secure.
Your Past May Explain You – But It Doesn’t Define You
We all have a story. And there’s a time and place that we may be called on to share parts of that story. In truth, most of us have chapters we don’t want published on the front of the church handout. But here’s the beautiful part: when Jesus steps in, nothing is wasted. Even the ugliest parts of your past can become a testimony of God’s mercy.
Here are just a few Biblical examples of pasts being redeemed for God’s story…
- Rahab the prostitute became a rescuer and a woman of faith, and is names in the lineage of Jesus himself (See Matthew 1:5).
- Jonah was disobedient and was used to bring deliverance to Nineveh.
- Moses was a murderer and was used to lead all of Isreal out of captivity.
- Paul literally hunted down Christians and approved of their deaths, then became one of the greatest voices of the gospel the world has ever known.
They weren’t defined by what they did. They were transformed by who they believed in.
And the same is true for you and me. I’ve done plenty I’m not proud of, and God has used it.
Replacing Old Labels with God’s Truth
Let’s get practical. If the enemy has been loud lately, whispering old accusations, dragging up what God has already covered—here’s how you fight back:
1. Identify the lie. What have you been believing that doesn’t align with God’s Word? If you can’t quickly identify the lie, ask Holy Spirit to reveal it to you and pause long to listen.
2. Find the truth in Scripture. God’s Word is your sword. Use it. Speak it out loud. Romans 10:17 tells us that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” So use the word of God, out loud, to combat the lies.
3. Write it down. Make a list of who you are in Christ. Stick it on your mirror. Put it on your phone’s lock screen. Let it become the louder voice in your heart.
Here are a few more truths to hold onto:
“The Lord your God is with you… He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17 (NKJV)
“I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love.” Romans 8:38 (NLT)
You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.” Matthew 5:14 (NLT)
God Is Still Writing Your Story
You don’t have to live stuck in the last chapter. Maybe you’ve made decisions you regret. Maybe people have said things over you that hurt deeply. Maybe you feel like too much time has passed and you missed your chance.
But friend, if you still have breath in your lungs, then God’s not done with you yet.
He’s not limited by your timeline. He’s not looking at your past like a mistake He wishes He hadn’t redeemed. He knew exactly what He was getting when He called you, and He still chose you.
Philippians 1:6 (ESV) says,
“And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
He’s not giving up on you. And neither should you.
Living From Identity, Not for Approval
One of the biggest shifts in the Christian life is learning to live from your identity in Christ, not for the approval of others, or even yourself.
You don’t need to prove yourself. You don’t need to earn what God has already given you freely.
That’s the heart of grace.
So what does it look like to live from your true identity?
- You make decisions based on who God says you are, not who others expect you to be.
- You show yourself grace on hard days because you know your worth isn’t based on performance.
- You show up with boldness, knowing you are already loved, already accepted, and already chosen.
- You extend mercy to others because you’ve received mercy you didn’t deserve.
You stop striving to be enough, because in Jesus, you already are.
You Are Who He Says You Are
You are not…
- your worst moment
- your old reputation
- your record
- your resume
- your regrets
1 John 3:1 says, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” We are loved lavishly. God calls you His treasured possession (Exodus 19:5).
So, when the enemy comes at you with a bunch of hogwash, tell him to shut his mouth and repeat these declarations…
- “God has called me by name, I am His.” Isaiah 43:1
- “I am chosen and loved.” (Colossians 3:12)
- “I am God’s masterpiece.” (Ephesians 2:10)
- “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:14)
- “I am loved by God with an everlasting love.” (Jeremiah 31:3)
- “I am passionately loved by God” (Romans 8:38)
- “I am a child of God.” (John 1:12)
- “I am adopted into God’s family” (Ephesians 1:5)
- “I am His treasured possession, uniquely loved and cherished.” Exodus 19:5
- I am His Favorite
Lift your head. Walk in truth. Let the weight of shame fall off your shoulders. And remember—when Jesus said, “It is finished,” He meant it.
The past may be part of your story, but it’s not the title.
The title is Redeemed.
And the Author? He’s still writing.
And He only writes good things.
A Prayer for You
If this hit home today, if your heart’s been carrying the weight of your past or the ache of misplaced identity, I want to pray with you.
Father, thank You that our past does not define us, You do. Thank You that in Christ, we are new, redeemed, forgiven, and fully loved. Help us to release the lies we’ve believed and to cling to the truth of Your Word. Teach us to walk boldly in our identity as sons and daughters of the King. Remind us daily that we are Yours, and that’s enough. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Blessings on your journey as you learn to walk in your identity and find God’s purpose for your life.
