Who do you think you are? This is a statement that's kept me stuck, quitting, and restarting many times in my life. Who do you think you are starting that business? Who do you think you are writing a blog or a book? Who do you think you are talking about faith? Who do you think you are fostering and then adopting? Who do you think you are homeschooling? Who do you think you are going back to work?
Have you been there, friend? In the vicious cycle of lies and bravery, of action then halting, of forward progress then being stuck? If you're nodding yes, please know that I'm with you.
Lies and negative thinking have me in circles, chasing my tail, and leading to confusion. And just when I get my brave bone working, time passes and courage slips and the lies begin cycling again. Who do you think you are?
Currently, to break the cycle, I vow to stay steady with sharing the struggle and sharing more of God's truth to combat those horrendous lies. So today, I'm sharing Chapter 6 of my Brave(R) You devotional below.
I pray it takes the "Who do you think you are?" question and replaces it with "I am a child of God" because that truth uproots every negative thought or cycle.
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Brave(R) You: Chapter 6
Squashing the lies of unworthiness and replacing them with God’s truth
so you can courageously step forward in this season.
Have you ever not pursued what was in front of you because you deemed yourself unworthy? Or unqualified for the task ahead? Have you ever heard God in one way or another, and laughed at the thought of what He was calling you to?
"I could never move away? I couldn't make new friends."
"I could never ask for a promotion, I'm lucky I have the position I have."
"I could never be a leader at church, God can't use me because of my past."
"I could never share my faith because I am not anointed like her."
"I could never x,y,z because I have no idea where to start."
Those are all lies, friend. Lies that keep us stuck, frustrated, and believing that we don't have what it takes. But the God that made us in His image, the God that is always with us and sealed inside us, the God that calls us His masterpiece- He says we are equipped because He does the equipping AND the calling.
Lie: I'm not qualified or equipped
Truth: God equips those He calls + He is our Guide and Helper
I've procrastinated on this week's writing. Not because I wanted to, but because the lie of being unqualified gripped me. The lie kept me from my keyboard and I was not in the space to write, let alone talk about being qualified.
Who am I to think that I can write about God's truths?
Who am I to think I can lead people to God's promises?
Who am I to think that I can help people be more brave in their season?
Who am I to believe that God can use me in this capacity?
Who am I?
And as tears well up as I type this out, I have to repeat over and over Who I belong to and what He says about me.
I am a masterpiece.
God can and will use me.
God's opinion is the only one that matters.
God is with me.
Remember these truths? The truths from the previous weeks. If I needed the reminder, I'm sure you did too, friend. That's the beauty of God's word, it's always there for us to pick up and soak in. And our opinions of ourselves are wrong because God would never tell us the things we say to ourselves. We wouldn't even repeat the horrid things we think about ourselves to a friend.
You see, no one is immune to the lies. Even as I write this study on squashing lies from the enemy, I am gripped by them the same. We have completed 4 chapters of replacing lies with truth, and here I am consumed by this one.
Maybe you're with me. Maybe some lies are planted deeper than others. Maybe some need more time to uproot. And I'm here to tell you: that's ok.
God is the Creator of time and He knows (and I know) that a week isn't enough time to squash, uproot, and eliminate these lies forever. That some (by God's hand and grace) CAN be erased instantly and some He wants us to work through longer. That is why He tells us to go to Him daily for new mercies.
Who I am to think? I'm God's to think and be and do.
Who do I believe? Not myself! I believe in God above the thoughts I have about myself.
You see, God created you with a purpose and on purpose. He's already equipped you. He qualified you the moment He formed you. You, yes you, already have what it takes to step into what He's calling you to.
It's you who needs to believe it.
And the only way you (and I) will ever believe this truth is by soaking in His word. Is by learning about Him, to in turn see Him in ourselves. HE is the one doing, HE is the one with the strength, HE is the equipper, and HE is the one behind the scenes…you just need to believe, trust, and live it out on our end.
Who do you think you are? Well, friend, you're a child of the Most High God and the heir to His throne. You are a masterpiece, you are royalty, you are precious, you are all these things and MORE because of your Heavenly Father. Because He says you are. Not because I typed it, but because He says it in His living word.
In the book "You are Free" by Rebekah Lyons she brings up the story of Jeremiah when it comes to going after your calling. I found it so fitting for this week's topic that I dog-eared it and knew I had to add it here.
The Call of Jeremiah
"The word of the Lord came to me, saying,
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
"Alas, Sovereign Lord," I said, "I do not know how to speak; I am too young."
But the Lord said to me, "Do not say, 'I am too young.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the Lord." Jeremiah 1:4-8
How appropriate that I read these verses this very week! Jeremiah is telling God he is too young and not equipped to speak as a prophet and God is reassuring him that He created him for this very job. God tells him to "not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you."
God is telling you the same, friend. Don't be afraid, He is with you, fighting with and for you, and guiding your very words and actions along the way.
With God on your side, how can you not move forward?!
As I was writing this out and meditating on how stuck I felt in the lie, I visualized us, people, myself, you…in chains. But not chains of not knowing God, or not believing in Him, but of someone standing chained in beliefs that what God says is not for them but only for others.
We can say the right things, do the right things, believe God, and love Him, but we can still be shackled into thinking that we aren't ready, qualified, or equipped with what we need to be courageous and bold.
But God tells us that He will teach and instruct us.
Not only did He create you equipped for what He wants for you, but He says in His word that He will instruct you along the way!
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you."
Psalm 32:8
God is telling you here that He will instruct you, that He will teach you, that He will counsel you, that He will keep His eye on you. What is there to fear when you know this? How can you stay shackled and chained in one place with this knowledge?
Your only "job" then is to stay close to Him, seek His guidance, hear His voice, and follow. Your role in this is to simply allow the chains to fall and leave them behind as you walk forward towards what God is laying out before you.
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105
He is lighting your path, walk in the light.
Action: Ask God to direct you, ask Him for what you need. Open the lines of communication. Get real, raw, and honest. He's there and He wants to hear from you. So ask.
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I pray that this inside look to my Brave(R) You devotional gave you hope, courage, and truth to replace the lies of unworthiness in your mind and heart. I pray you know that you are a child of God. Who do you think you are? I'm Gods and He says I'm qualified, equipped, and worthy.
Leave a comment below and tell me what you think of this snippet!
Until next time
brave friend!
Xoxo,
Stephanie