In with the New: Learning How to Walk in Your New Identity
What do you imagine when you think of a young child learning to walk? What comes to mind? My daughters were absolutely adorable when they began to take their first steps. They waddled around so proud of their accomplishment to balance on two feet. Every now and then they would fall down, and sometimes they would even choose to crawl because it was easier and more comfortable for them. But eventually, the waddle went away; and in the blink of an eye, they were running all over the house! When you learn to walk in your new identity given to you by God, it’s a very similar process. You will have days when you are running, and days when you are crawling. You will fall down from time to time, and sometimes you will need to fall to your knees.
And just as I was proud of my daughters as they were learning to walk, I truly believe that God sees our growth the same way. He is a proud Father who cheers us on and picks us up off the floor when we fall down.
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Understand the difference between immaturity and brokenness…
When you were born into this world as a baby, you were a brand new person. You were you from the very beginning. Your personality, your character traits, your talents, and your abilities… they were all there from the moment you took your first breath. And just because you were too young to see the future you, that doesn’t mean the potential wasn’t there to become who you are today.
The same is true when you are born again.
We all start our spiritual journey at the same place… we are born again. We all have to learn and grow to become the people God created us to be. And just because you don’t see your full potential yet, that doesn’t mean it’s not there.
Trust me when I say that I’ve been there. I’ve taken a look at my own life and wondered how God could use me. I’ve seen myself as broken and beyond repair. After all, I’m still a sinner, right? How could God possibly do anything with the little I have to offer? But here’s the truth: When we are born again, we are made whole. God declares us righteous and forgiven. Will we make mistakes as we grow up in Christ? Will we fall from time to time when we are learning to walk in Him? You bet. But as His children, we are no longer broken and incomplete. We are His masterpiece created to do all that He has planned for our lives.
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. – Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)
Strive for growth…
Growth is simply a part of life. In a lot of ways, we crave it. My young daughters love to talk about their birthdays and all the amazing things they get to do when they’re older. And I think most of us would agree that there are a lot of great aspects of growing older. We get to drive a car, graduate high school, meet the love of our life, start a family, etc. But then there are the “not-so-fun” things… like going to work every day and paying bills or coping with difficulties and loss. Being an adult can be stressful!
Our spiritual growth is not all that different from our physical growth. We experience milestones and amazing new things in Christ. But there are also hardships and trials. We endure persecution, loss, and personal struggle. But all of it contributes to our growth. We need both the good times and the bad.
In the end, it comes down to how we allow these experiences to spur us towards growth. We ultimately choose whether or not these circumstances will cripple us or inspire us towards maturity in Christ.
Declare the truth about yourself as well as your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ…
Have you ever heard the phrase “fake it until you make it”? While this isn’t exactly what is happening here, the concept is similar. You may not feel strong enough to endure. You may not feel like God’s own masterpiece. And you may be struggling with fear or doubt in your life concerning your circumstances. But the truth is that we are called to declare the truth of God’s Word, even when we don’t FEEL it in our lives at the moment. Because in the end, we know that it’s the truth regardless of how we feel.
And it’s not just about declaring the truth for ourselves, but also for those around us. Have you ever had someone speak a word of encouragement over your life in a way that changed your perspective? God gave us brothers and sisters in Him so that we could help each other grow and accomplish our God-given purposes in Him. He never meant for us to live out our faith on our own. We are the family of God, and we are not alone!
When you learn to walk in your new identity, you will begin to walk in your God-given destiny.
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*Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.
**Photo by Ben White at ChristianPics.co
