Journey into Lightl

Why That’s Difficult

It seems that being who we are would be simple. But it isn’t. Many of us have little idea of who we are. We have spent much of our lives being someone who others wanted us to be and ignoring who we really are.

For example, in my childhood home, it was dangerous to be who I was because I could fail to please. This could mean a loss of love, safety, and importance. This was too much to give up just to be myself. So, I focused on being who my parents wanted me to be.

We often are influence by others and the culture to be good-looking, smart, popular, and strong in order to be important and loved. So, we pretend to be these things even when we are not. We lose the sense of intrinsic worth and force ourselves to meet certain standards to earn it. We can lose being who we are in the process.

Why That’s Important

But it’s important to be ourselves. People can’t know, love and help us if all we are giving them is a façade; and we can’t help them. We also will never feel loved by God if we always hide our ugly parts from him. We will never experience his great love for us if we feel we have to earn it by being good.

I have tended to hide from God and myself my weaknesses. I grew up thinking that it wasn’t okay to be weak. I felt defective when I was weak. So, I have had trouble crying, and acknowledging feeling depressed and scared. God has impressed upon me lately that it’s okay to feel weak. His love and acceptance remains firm in spite of being who I am.

And who we are is awesome. We are royalty. We are special. God says that despite our weaknesses and limits he has made us a little lower than himself and has crowned us with glory and majesty (Psalm 8:4-5, paraphrased). He enjoys us! He died for us! 

How We Do It

So, how do we be who we are? It’s not easy. It probably requires separating from a number of idols that we have cultivated. Idols such as achievement, people’s approval, and control over circumstances. These are the things we have sought to meet our needs instead of resting in God’s opinion of us of being precious, honored and loved (Isaiah 43:4). In the process we have often failed to be who we really are.

We know how important it is to apply the Bible to our lives. But have we? Are we being ourselves because we are precious, honored and loved by God just the way we are? Or are we pretending and hiding because we reject ourselves and fear that others will too if they only knew.

Let’s be “doers of the Word and not hearers only” (James 1:22) by embracing who we are. Let’s be real. Let’s see ourselves through the eyes of God and rejoice in the marvelous creations that we are!