Welcome to part 3 of my mini blog series: Overcoming Depression. A couple weeks ago I shared with you my personal story on struggling with depression. If you haven't read it yet, feel free to jump over here and read it. Part 2 is all about Renewing Your Mind, have you had a chance to read it yet?
Today is Part 3, which I titled Discovering/Remembering Your Identity. I titled it this way because some of us have never really discovered our true identity, and some of us have, but lost sight of it along the way. I am one of those who had discovered my identity, but "lost it". I had to re-identitify myself.
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the word identity means "who someone is : the name of a person". Our identity is more than just our name-- I go by Megan, Mommy, and a few pet names from my husband. My name doesn't fully identify me however. Who am I? Well I'm a wife, mom, daughter, sister, friend, but most importantly I'm a chosen daughter of the King!
Do you ever wonder about your existence? Why am I here on Earth? Out of all the possibilities a different human could have been made during that moment YOU were conceived with all those millions of your father's spermies coming at your mother's egg...yeah sorry that seems a little weird to read, more weird for me to type! But seriously, you were created out of millions of different options-- you're one in a million!
God tells us in His word that "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you" (Jeremiah 1:5 NKJV). God not only knew he was going to create you before you were even a thought, know what you would look like, know your passions and dreams and give you a divine purpose, but he KNEW you before you were even conceived. Plus, he sanctified you. What does sanctified mean? It means to be set apart or declare as holy. He literally CHOSE you to have existence, to have a purpose here on Earth and most importantly to be loved by Him and to have a relationship with Him. Doesn't that just give you a new hope and a huge feeling of being loved? I know for me, it is definitely eye opening and gives me a big feeling of purpose, destiny and ultimately joy and peace. The creator of the universe has specifically chosen me, thought about me and decided to know me before I was even conceived. That's a deep deep love, don't you think?
One of my favorite Psalms David wrote is Psalms 139. If you have a minute, you can read the whole thing here, but below is a few verses about God's love for us, even before we were born.
Psalms 139: 13-18 (NKJV)
For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.
Your true identity is in Christ. You are God's child (Romans 8:14) and it's proven again and again in His word.
Ephesians 1: 4-5 says "Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will" (NKJV). Before God even created the world, he chose YOU to live in it and to be apart of His love story. He chose you to have relationship with Him, for you to be His daughter/son before he even created the sun and moon. Pretty special, right? And I just want to throw this in, out of all the beautiful things God has created, sunrises, mountains, oceans, planets, unique animals, YOU are His masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10 NLT). He is most happy with creating you.
I hope you are starting to piece together your true identity. It's in God. You are His child (John 1:12) and He chose to create you and have a relationship with you long before the foundations of the Earth. You have a great purpose, and once you discover or remember that, I know you will feel the greatest joy, peace and love and will defeat depression. The thief (Satan) comes to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). He wants to steal your joy, kill your dreams and destroy your mind. Don't let him! Jesus already defeated him. He came that He may bring you life, and for you to have it in more abundance! Declare your identity in Christ today and start overcoming depression and start living your purpose, with a joyful heart and mind!
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