Have you ever heard anyone say, “You just have to be true to yourself?”
What on earth does that mean?
Frankly, most of the time it’s an excuse to indulge their selfish flesh.
However, the reality is that our choices flow from our perception of self.
For example, if I see myself as a person with a bad temper, then I will be perfectly comfortable with biting someone’s head off.
On the other hand, if I see myself as a nice person but react to someone with angry words, it will bother me, and I will quickly apologize.
Our perception of self forms in large measure based on the verbal and physical feedback we get from our parents, siblings, friends, and teachers.
Unfortunately, none of those folks are the Source of Truth.
The key to mental health is perceiving ourselves as God perceives us.
Author Brennan Manning wrote:
“Define yourself radically as one beloved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is illusion.”
In Christ, you are loved, accepted, made righteous and holy, safe and secure, His friend, complete, lacking nothing, blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.
The very life and essence of Jesus flows in you and through you thanks to His gift of the Holy Spirit.
Beloved, we need to put off our old self perceptions and put on God’s perception of us.
This is where truth is regardless of what we feel.
We have been taken out of Adam, so people no longer define us.
We have been born again into God’s family; we are children of the King of Kings; we are princes and princesses.
God sees us as we really are: complete in Him, perfect, holy, Christ-like brothers and sister of Jesus.
Beloved, this is the true you, so be true to yourself and live out of your new identity in Jesus.
Blessings!
Robyn