Hello My Name Is…

What identifies you? Is it your job? Is it the college you went to? Is it your status in the community or church? Or perhaps it is something from your past. Maybe it’s an abusive experience that you replay in your mind again and again. These tragic memories never seem to fade away but instead continue to haunt you until they become part of your internal fabric that you wear every day. Or perhaps it’s a series of lies you have come to believe that are part of your identity. Lies such as: “I’m not that smart.” “I’m not attractive.” “I am unlovable.” “I am worthless.” “People never like me.”

The mistruths we tell ourselves are numerous and we carry them around like ID cards. These are identities that are filled with hurt, pain and shame. Matthew West has a song called “My Name Is” in which he captures the essence of these lies.

Hello, my name is defeat
I know you recognize me
Just when you think you can win
I’ll drag you right back down again
Until you’ve lost all belief

It is not uncommon for people to build an identity rooted in lies, which they believe are based in truth. With this poor sense of self, people experience self-hate and feelings of worthlessness. This in turns leads to destructive behaviors and the development of unhealthy relationships. It is all part of Satan’s game plan to crush our spirits and take our focus off of the abundant life that God promises for us.

But we don’t have to play into Satan’s hands. We can correct our erroneous beliefs and develop an accurate and genuine assessment of our true self. And we begin by understanding God’s assessment of our worth.

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.” 1 John 3:1-3

As children of God we have been forgiven, redeemed, accepted, loved, called, given hope and made pure again. You see, the real truth is we are all children of a King. That is the foundation of our true identity. Take time to do some self-reflection by examining the current source of your identity and work to make the adjustments needed to align it with the one true King.

Hello my name is child of the one true King
I’ve been saved, I’ve been changed, and I have been set free
“Amazing Grace” is the song I sing
Hello my name is child of the one true King