Tuning In

There are so many competing voices in our world, trying to tell us who we are and who we need to be. We are bombarded with messages from the media, our peers, societal norms, and more on a daily basis. How do we decide what's true? How do we even begin to filter through the different messages we're being fed? What we believe about who we are changes how we behave. If we listen to the multitude of voices telling us we're not good enough, we will come to believe it and live defeated lives devoid of joy, deep love, worthiness, and peace. We will be stressed as we strive to do better in our own strength, continually sabotaging our own efforts as we engage in self-fulfilling prophecies, telling ourselves that nothing we ever do will be enough.

If we feel the need to change who we are to conform to the messages we receive from others, we will spend a great deal of time and effort trying to fit into a box we were never created to fit into.

On the flip side, if we remind ourselves that we are beloved, cherished children of the Most High God, we are empowered. We know that although we cannot do everything on our own, we can lean on the One who makes all things possible through His strength.

While messages from media and in our culture change at the blink of an eye, the Word of God is eternal and constant. I find comfort in knowing God's opinion of me never changes. Some truths that I need to remind myself of frequently include:

I am a new creation. My past isn't held against me. My failures and mistakes no longer define who I am in God's sight, so they shouldn't color my own opinion of myself.

I am a child and heir of God. I have a Heavenly Father who deeply cares about me and my life. He delights in taking care of me; I don't have to do it all myself.

I am fearfully and wonderfully made. No matter what the world tells me the newest metric is for measuring beauty, I can remain confident knowing that I am precious in God's sight.

I am chosen, holy, and blameless before God.

For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we may be holy and unblemished in his sight in love (Ephesians 1:4).

I am redeemed and forgiven by the grace of Christ.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace (Ephesians 1:7).

I am God’s workmanship created to produce good works.

For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them (Ephesians 2:10). -Kenneth Boa, Bible.org

We can decide which voices we listen to and which ones we silence. We can let the truth drown out the multitude of lies, or we can allow the lies to creep in and crowd out the truth-- the choice is ours.

So what messages are you tuning into? What do you have the hardest time believing about who God says you are? Do you have any ways of reminding yourself of these truths that have been particularly successful for you?