The Bible teaches us that how we think about ourselves directly impacts who we are or will become. Every well-trained salesperson is taught this principle. Dr. Norman Vincent Peale wrote a book about this called The Power of Positive Thinking. Dr. Caroline Leaf, a Christian Neuroscientist, speaks about scientific evidence for this in her podcasts and books (link below to a podcast on identity).
Aside from all that, I am a living testimony of this truth. I don't have room here for the whole story, except to say that I was controlled by a victim mindset until the Lord taught me to use Philippians 4:8 as a standard to hold every thought. As I learned to take every thought captive, my super negative outlook about everything, especially myself, was transformed. When I began to understand who I am in God's eyes and chose to live by faith, believing God's Word rather than how I felt about myself, how I felt about myself began to change.
When I thought about everything through a victim mindset, every choice I made reflected that. The reason for my thinking this way didn't have to impact the rest of my life. I couldn't change that, but with God's help, I could learn to think His way about everything, especially myself.
Why is how I view myself important? The enemy constantly accuses us and attacks how we view the world, including our self-esteem. If I do not know who I am--who God says I am--then I will fall victim to his accusations. If I think of myself as a loser, I will lose. Ask any professional athlete if this is true!
If God says I am fearfully and wonderfully made, I choose to believe it. Sounds easy. It isn't. It is not easy to change a mindset. I had to ask God every day to help me believe. I had to practice living with this mindset by refusing to beat myself up for every failure and flaw. Over many months and with the Holy Spirit's help, I overcame that mindset and exchanged it for God's--I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am His treasure. I am loved.
That is another important identity piece. If you do not believe that you are loved, then you cannot give or receive love. Instead, you are always in a state of neediness looking for someone to affirm you but never being able to receive that affirmation. I believe God loved you and God loved the world, but I couldn't believe He loved me because I felt so unlovable, damaged because of my history and my accepting the lies of the deceiver as truth for so long. God led me through the same process with this struggle. His Word tells me I am loved, so I choose to believe I am loved. I repeated verses every day that helped me to change my thinking and over time my mindset began to change. With the help of the Holy Spirit and God showing me in very tangible ways how much He loves me, I found victory. Knowing I am loved was a game-changer!
My husband gifted me with a beautiful throw for Christmas in 2023 that expresses well how God sees His children. I turned that into a bookmark to hand out wherever I go because without a clear and Biblical understanding of who we are in Christ, we will never be able to flourish in His Kingdom or live our God-designed purpose and plans. (Email me at cgwmdirector@gmail.com if you want a printable version.) Here's the list:
I am God’s child. John 1:12
I am loved. Jeremiah 31:3
I am forgiven. Psalm 103:12
I am free. John 8:36
I am valuable. 1 Cor 6:19-20
I am unique. Psalm 139:13
I am lovely. Daniel 12:3
I am special. Ephesians 2:19
I am enough. 2 Corinthians 12:9
I am chosen. John 15:16; Col 3:12
I am special. Ephesians 2:10
I am amazing. Psalm 139:14
I am victorious. Romans 8:37
I am a new creation. 2 Cor 5:17
I am never alone. Hebrews 13:5
I have to confess that when God started teaching me these things, I was so oppressed by the enemy that I didn't believe even one of these truths. Today, I am filled with gratitude that God has worked many of these truths about how He sees me into my image of myself. I am no longer struggling to believe what God says. By His grace and the Holy Spirit's help, I am a new person with a new mindset. I am confident that God will complete the work He has begun in me (Phil 1:6), and I am free to love and encourage others instead of constantly needing someone to hold me up.
As you consider this list--only a starting point--praise God for any areas where you already walk in that mindset. Then ask the Holy Spirit where to start and how to move forward. God is a patient and loving teacher! He knows we need Him, and He wants to help us to be victorious. He wants us to see ourselves as He sees us. He knows we are full of flaws, but His grace is sufficient in all these things.
Lord God, thank You for Your grace and Your mercy! Thank You for loving us and drawing us to Yourself. Thank You for Your faithfulness. Teach us to walk in Your ways and to think according to Your thoughts. Renew our minds until they agree with Yours. We love you, Lord! We are grateful to be your daughters.
Dr. Caroline Leaf, S1 E9: The Key to Finding Your Identity & Purpose https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KzooW-qBWg
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