Discover the real you

For so long, our lives have been driven by the desire to please others and gain their acceptance. Unfortunately, that lifestyle causes us to lose sight of our true identity (who God created us to be).

Not knowing our identity results in joylessness, depression and lack of fulfillment in our jobs and relationships and ultimately an overall unhappy life!

This issue often starts in childhood. With good intentions, our parents try to mold us into the people they want us to be. They reward behaviors that fit their expectations and punish what doesn’t.

This sets the pattern early in life of denying the real person inside and living the “big lie”. We eventually alter our personalities and behaviors to fit in and gain the acceptance of whomever we’re with.

The price of self-denial

We pay a price for living the big lie, because not knowing who we are is a tremendous loss. As Christians, when we read “Put off the old man and put on the new,” we reject the wrong person! We miss out on being transformed into the likeness and image of Jesus.

That’s why we experience chaos in our inner world: fear, anger, jealousy, inferiority, to name a few. We hide and deny that world even exists inside us. Or we cover it up with religious activity like joining the choir and going to church all the time. Or we blame others or circumstances for our discomfort and emotional instability.

Yet, just as Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, He called you and me out of the grave and brought us into new life. Jesus came to set us free from slavery to Satan, so that we are free to live the life for which He created us. It’s high time that we shed the grave clothes!

The road to self-discovery

Here is how the Holy Spirit can lead you on this journey of self-discovery:

• Don’t deny your feelings. Instead, discover why you feel the way you do. Your feelings reveal the hurts, the wounds and the many times you’ve exchanged your true self for the person everyone wanted you to be. Invite Jesus into your inner world to transform you.

• Let God reveal His love for the real you. You’ve often crucified him or her instead of recognizing how valuable that person is to God. Remember, the first commandment is to love God with all our hearts and then to love others as we love ourselves. Ask the Holy Spirit to help in this. Stop believing Satan’s lies about your true value.

• Cultivate lost and forgotten dreams and passions buried in your heart. Don’t deny them any longer. Be strong enough to say “no” to things you used to say “yes” to. People-pleasing eventually disappears when you discover and consistently live the life God created you to live.

In conclusion, the first step to a successful Christian life is to discover the real you. But it doesn’t end there. Secondly, let God transform the real you into a mature Christian. Aren’t you tired of living the big lie? Start the journey to discovering the real you today. You won’t be disappointed!

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