Who you are...

For those of us who sometimes forget who we are in Jesus, here is a list. I hope that you will take it to heart. Because this is what God tells us in his Word! For those of us who believe in Him, and for anyone who will turn over their heart and their lives to the One and Only Savior, these words are absolutely 100% true of you!

YOU ARE:

FORGIVEN -- Psalm 130:4a "For with you there is forgiveness..."; Ephesians 1:7-8 "In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.

LOVED -- John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."

HEARD -- Psalm 40:1 "I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry."; Psalm 139:2,4 "You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. ... Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord."

SEEN -- Psalm 139:7 "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?"; Genesis 16:13 "She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: 'You are the God who sees me,' for she said, 'I have now seen the One who sees me.'"

KNOWN -- Psalm 139:1 "O Lord, you have searched me and you know me."

UNDERSTOOD -- Psalm 139:1-3 "O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways."

VALUED -- Psalm 139:14 -- "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

HOLY -- Hebrews 10:10 -- "And by [God's] will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

DEARLY LOVED -- Colossians 3:12 "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."

CHOSEN -- Colossians 3:12 "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."

FORMED -- implies intent, purpose, specific love and care to create -- Psalm 139:13 "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb."

CHILD OF GOD -- John 1:12-13 "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God - children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God."

REDEEMED -- Ephesians 1:7-8 "In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding."


By contrast, you are not defined by certain things anymore if you believe in the One True God. Scripture tells us this too!

YOU ARE NOT:

APPEARANCE -- 1 Samuel 16:7b "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

MISTAKES OR YOUR PAST -- 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

UNWORTHY -- Psalm 139 (the whole chapter!)

WHAT OTHERS THINK -- Galatians 1:10 "Am I now trying to win the approval of men or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ."

EMOTIONS -- I couldn't find a verse that was exactly on target for this, but what came to mind was James 1:6. "...he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind." Our emotions act kind of the same way as the doubt described in this verse. They change and push us one way or the other without reason. God is not like that. We are defined by Him and not by whatever changing emotions we may experience at any given moment!


I am sure there are many things you could add to this list. If you struggle with self-doubt and have a hard time remembering how God sees you, keep this list handy and read it often. Read Psalm 139 over and over. God intentionally and purposefully made you. He made you exactly the way you are and loves you without reservation! Trust in that!