IN CHRIST ALONE

Fact: we are constantly bombarded by words. We read them on our twitter feeds, speak them in our homes, watch them on TV ads, hear them in our music, write them in our journals and type them into our status bars. They help us communicate. They can be extreme. They can be encouraging and they can be damaging. 

Words have power.

Far too often, we let words define who we are. We let what other people think and say about us cut to our core and wound us deeply, to the point that they shape our thoughts, actions and feelings.

If words define who I am,

I am:

Stupid.

An idiot

Too sassy.

Too shy.

Complicated.

Weak.

Lazy.

Forgetful.

An amateur.

A bad example.

Not good enough.

Easily replaced

Immature.

A weirdo.

A mess.

A failure.

This list could go on and on and on. I’m sure if you made a list of all the negative things you’ve been labeled or called, your list would be just as long- if not a whole lot longer.

These words that have been spoken (whether good or bad, true or false) have molded at least a small part of who I am today. They’ve wounded me, encouraged me, made me indifferent, made me change. Because of these words, I’ve been compelled to change my actions, my thinking patterns, my words and, most importantly, how I view myself and what I put my identity in.

In a world where we’re incessantly reminded that we are never enough and need to be better than we are now, it’s easy to be self-centered and focused on ourselves while placing our hope in something temporary, such as what other people think about us, instead of entrusting our often fragile hope to God. Personally, I can get so wrapped up in my want to succeed and not fail that I start to put my hope and all of my identity into what other people think of my efforts and the final result that I get at the end of a project.

But it’s not supposed to be that way. Our hope is to be found in Christ Alone. It’s better that way. It makes sense.

In Him, I am nothing on that first list.

I am:

Wanted.

Enough.

Beautiful.

Strong.

Part of a bigger picture.

Remembered.

A follower.

A child of God.

Born with a unique purpose.

Brave.

Loved.

Passionate.

Safe.

Secure.

An example

Given purpose.

Found.

Alive.

Free.

Priceless.

Unashamed.

Redeemed.

I am literally the worst sinner. I’m a mess. I can’t go 30 minutes without saying or thinking or doing something that I shouldn’t, but I’ve been saved from that. It doesn’t matter anymore. I’m redeemed and saved and loved and found in CHRIST ALONE. That’s not a new concept to me but it gets me SO EXCITED every time I hear it. You are not what other people say you are. You are who CHRIST says you are. The first list no longer holds any power over your life. Those are erased. Your shortcomings and wrongdoings and your mess-ups and mistakes are GONE, like they’ve never existed, in the eyes of Christ.

Let people say what they want to say. You are not defined but the words of this world- YOU are defined by Jesus Christ: the One that literally thinks you’re worth dying for. The One that actually hung on the cross to pay your penalty and cover your life in His blood so that you could experience life to fullest and to live with Him in complete and total peace and joy forever.

We have a hope.

We have a purpose.

We have Life.

If that isn’t good news, I don’t know what is.