Who do you think you are? No, truly, who do you believe you are? What kind of person are you? Extroverted? Introverted? Smart? Funny? Kind? Who are you?
How we choose to define ourselves directly impacts how we operate within our world. If you believe that you are not the type of person who eats spinach then you will most likely never eat spinach. If you believe that you are a kind and considerate person, you will most likely act like that towards people. If you believe that you are un-loveable, unable to do many things, and overall a terrible person, that affects how you act.
Most of the time, these definitions and narratives about who we are run in the backs of our minds. We aren’t consciously aware that we believe certain things about ourselves. But underlying everything you do is some sort of thought you have about yourself and the world around you.
Thankfully, we can choose to change these narratives. Let say, for instance, you want to start running in the mornings. The first thing you end up saying to yourself is something along the lines of: “Man, I should really get up earlier and go for a run. But, wow, I do not want to do that.” What you are essentially saying is that “I am the type of person who would rather sleep in that go for a run,” or “I am the type of person who does not thinking running is worth getting up for” or anything along those lines.
What is awesome is that we can change that narrative. For instance, we change the phrase to “I am the type of person that get’s up early so I can go for a run.” As simple as this sounds, it’s amazing how much this will change how you view something and therefore how you act.
This can be a powerful tool when we combine it with how God looks at us and how He defines us. We have been paid for by the precious blood of Christ. We are redeemed and made whole. We are no longer broken, dead, or downtrodden. We are alive and surrounded by the greatest love in the universe.
This narrative we tell ourselves is infinitely important. It ends up dictating most of what we do and how we do it. It impacts how we spend our time, who we hang out with, and what kind of person we end up becoming.
How have you been defining yourself? What type of person do you want to become? Brave, strong, kind, loving, patient, gentle, loyal? Great! Own it. Let it become a part of your personal narrative until it get’s woven into the very core of your being, until the truth of who God has called you to be becomes your very DNA.
If you want to hear more of what God thinks about you, watch this clip from Graham Cooke!