What if the labels we wrote for ourselves were positive instead of negative?
Today, I had coffee with a wonderful friend that I just met here in Florida. And we were talking about calling and ministry, and I had the experience to share with her my testimony. And it was crazy because our stories kind of lined up.
Because we both have gone through the same things.. isn’t it crazy when God does that? When He ordains meetings with people that you didn’t know you needed, but He knew you did?
Well, today she shared something with me that stuck in my head.. She said that someone told her to do this, and that the Lord was speaking it on her heart to share it with me. She said:
“Write down every single negative thing that was said to you or about you that you have heard and ask the Lord to break off every single part of that from your life.”
And I thought, "Wow.. how often do those things that were said to me become things that stick with me? Almost like a sticky note on the wall of my mind that can't come off just by pulling it." It's almost like they are stuck there with crazy cement that I mixed myself and threw on the wall.
You see, those negative things that were told to us or said about us that we heard stick with us. They instantly become a label that we write on a name tag and put on our bodies. Labels like loser, selfish, annoying, self-centered, worthless. And believe me, I have my fair share of labels.
But when we put on those labels, they distort our thinking. Instead of walking into a room where you don’t know anyone thinking that it’s going to go great, we walk in with the labels “shy” and “insecure,” and we immediately shut down. Why? Because the enemy takes those negative things that were said, makes those labels, and never lets you forget them.. he screams at us telling us, "See, those people don't think you're cool because your a shy, insecure person who is never going to make a friend."
But what if we could replace those labels with the things that are true of us? Things like, “Beautiful, giving, self-less, qualified.”
Here are three labels that I think we give ourselves that we should replace with the truth of what God says about us.
1. Inferior - The definition of inferior is, "a person inferior to another or others, as in rank or merit, (dictionary.com)" When we think of ourselves as inferior, we think that we don't match up. That we aren't as important as other people that are in the position that we are. Often we throw this label on ourselves when a person gets an opportunity that we thought we should have gotten.
What we should replace that label with: Chosen.
In 1 Peter, Peter writes that we are a "chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession." And we have been chosen to "declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."
It also says in 1 Thessalonians 1:4, "We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people."
God chose you when He sent His son to die on the cross. He looked at the world and picked you for the calling you are in. He didn't want anyone else for it.. He wanted you. So we can rest assured in confidence knowing that we are chosen.
2. Abandoned - The definition of abandoned is: "left alone, deserted, (dictionary.com)." We feel abandoned when we experience loss or rejection in our lives. You feel like no one is there to help you with anything and you have to pick up the pieces on your own.
What we should replace that label with: Supported.
When you feel supported, you feel that you can take on anything. Having someone in your corner makes you feel like the ultimate boxer who can take on the biggest giant. But even when you don't have a physical person in your corner, you always have someone there; that person is God.
In 2 Chronicles Chapter 20, there's a beautiful story of how King Jehoshaphat became terrified after hearing that armies of Moabites, Ammonites, and Meuinites were declaring war on him and his nation. The fight seemed like it was already lost.. but God had a different plan.
King Jehoshaphat ordered his people to begin praying and fasting to God. He begged God to deliver them from this, even admitting that he had no idea what he was going to do. And God responded in a big way.
In verse 14, we learn that the Spirit of God came upon a man named Jahaziel, and he told them something that was going to change everything for them.
He said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow, march out against them. You will find them coming up through the ascent of Ziz at the end of the valley that opens into the wilderness of Jeruel. But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!” 2 Chronicles 20: 15-17
The end of the story is amazing - The people of Judah and Jerusalem prayed and worshipped during the entire battle and The Lord fought for them. They watched God fight for them.. and they saw that God had them all along.
You see, sometimes we feel abandoned when we face a situation that can seem impossible. But God is in our corner. He fights our battles when we can't fight them on our own. So know that you are supported, not abandoned.
3. Unqualified - The definition of this is, "not qualified; not fit; lacking requisite qualifications, (dictionary.com)." This is a big one for me. There are days that I feel that I am unqualified to do the things that God has called me to do. I don't think that I am good enough to be in ministry or even serve at a church because I can't do this or I can't do that. But God doesn't think that.
What we should replace that label with: Qualified.
There are plenty of people in the Bible who didn't think they were qualified to do what they do. They felt that they couldn't talk in front of people, (Moses), couldn't stand up for the people they loved, (Esther), change who they were, (Paul). But they were able to do all of that with the help of God.
My life verse is 1 Timothy 1:12-16. It says this:
"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that He considered me trustworthy, appointing me to His service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life."
Paul believed that since he was a terrible person, that his life couldn't be used to spread the message of Jesus Christ. He thought he wasn't qualified. But that didn't matter to God. Who he was in the past didn't matter because who he was going to be in the future was going to be for God's glory.
And with the help of Jesus, Paul became one of the most important figures in helping spread the gospel.
So you - the person who is reading this with tears in their eyes. The person who is saying, "I'm not even close to being qualified for that position." You need to remember that the opinions of man don't qualify you - God does.
And believe me - as I'm writing this, I need to hear this. I am known for constantly telling myself that I am not qualified. I even did this with my friend who I had coffee with.
So I want to challenge you - what are some labels that you have written on yourself that you need to ask God to break off? What are the things that have been spoken over you your entire life that you need Jesus' help to remove them from your mind?
Maybe some of those are the ones I listed above. Maybe they aren't. Whatever they are, write those down and pray for help. Talk to a friend about this. Get some accountability - because what you keep in the darkness will stay there. You need to bring it to light for you to experience freedom.
I pray that Jesus begins to break off the labels in your life that were placed on you because of the negative things that have been spoken over you and that He replaces them with new labels.
I love you.
- Meghan