Skip to main content

“You are not defined by what you have done wrong. You are redefined by what Christ has done right, His righteousness.”

A thought by Mark Batterson (2011-01-18) in his book, Soulprint: Discovering Your Divine Destiny (p. 154). Multnomah Books. Kindle Edition.

We strive to do what we can to define who we are.  We drive the right car, we wear the right clothes.  We live in the right place.  We even put our kids in the right activities, the right school but we feel like we still come up short.

Maybe it is because of something that we did when we were younger that no matter what we do or what we have we just can’t get away from it.  That thing defines us in our mind.

Maybe it is what someone said about you.  That is what defines you.  Maybe it is because of an unpleaseable person in your life.  No matter what you did, it was always wrong.  You got an A but you should have gotten an A+.   No matter what it was it wasn’t enough so you always felt like you were a failure or you were told you were and because they were an adult you believed them.

Listen you are not defined by what you did wrong or what someone thought you did wrong.  You are defined by what Jesus thinks about you and He loves you so much that He died for you.   If you were the only person who was alive He still would have died for you.  That makes you very significant. 

Here is the key.  Whatever you have done wrong when you confess it to Christ He will forgive or redefine you and it will be as if you haven’t done it.  That is His part.  But you have to confess it.  Then you have to appropriate that forgiveness.  You have to accept it as a fact that you have been forgiven and you have to also forgive yourself.  You are then redefined by who Jesus is and what He has done.  You are no longer defined by what you have done but by what He has done for you and in you.

So who or what defines you?

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

"Jesus comes in the midst of the torrent."

  A thought by Max Lucado from his book,  You Are Never Alone  (p. 60). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.  (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.)   We all have storms in our lives, don't we? Max says, "No one gets through life scot-free. At one point or another the sky will darken, the winds will rage, and we will find ourselves in a modern-day version of the Galilean gusher." John 6:16–18 (NIV) says, "When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough." Max goes on, "The hearts of the followers began to sink as their boat was certain to do. Their skin was soaked, throats hoarse, eyes wide. They searched the sky for a break in the clouds. They gripped the boat for fear of the waves. They screamed their prayers for help. But they heard nothing. "If only Jesu

“When you understand that life is a test, you realize that nothing is insignificant in your life.”

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (Purpose Driven Life, The) (p. 57). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. To realize that from God’s perspective life is a test goes a long way in determining how you handle your life.   It is important to see that in testing your character is both developed and revealed.   Rick goes on to say that “even the smallest incident has significance for your character development. Every day is an important day, and every second is a growth opportunity to deepen your character, to demonstrate love, or to depend on God.” So there is a God purpose behind each situation in your life.   Even the bad ones are there to strengthen you and develop you.   You see those bad situations are really good ones because they are there for your good. I start each day with a reminder that God is good.   Not every situation that is going to come in my day is good but because God is good He will use e

“What areas of my personality, background, and physical appearance am I struggling to accept?”

A thought by Rick Warren, (2012-10-23) from his book, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (Purpose Driven Life, The) (p. 35). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. Rick posed this question at the end of his chapter, You Are Not an Accident.   In this chapter he deals with the fact that God created you the way you are with a purpose.   In other words you are not an accident.   I am also reading the Apostle John’s view of Jesus and what He said and did while He was here on earth.   In the beginning of Chapter 9 there is a story about a blind man.   And the disciples who were with Him asked Him a good question, “Who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind? ”   Have you ever asked the same thing about something in you that you don’t like?   Like that characteristic is a curse or something.   Society has set a standard that is not a standard of God.   Remember, He created you and you are not an accident. Jesus did answer the question about the blind