It’s been heavy on my heart lately as I have noticed that labels have taken over how we as people view ourselves. Whether that label be a diagnosis, a stereotype, or a lie we’ve told ourselves, the labels in which we cast upon ourselves can be our own type of prison.
Some of the labels that I have noticed people categorizing themselves as, and have taken note of, are labels such as:
Depressed, Autistic, Anxious, Stupid, Fat, Slut, Damaged, Bipolar, Asperger’s, Cancer, Unworthy, Weird…
You get the idea.
Every time I hear someone say these words to describe themselves my heart aches because I never would have seen this person that way. It saddens me that this is how real people, awesome people, not only view themselves but also live their lives telling others that they are this way and that is why they are ultimately “not good enough”. A negative label affects us more than we know. It starts out by creeping into our mind and kinda just camping out. Over time this label will consume us and we will think to ourselves
How could anyone ever love a person like me?
I just want to tell you this. The God of the universe loves you just the way you are. He made you uniquely you and He created you with a purpose. Everyone in this world was given differences so that ultimately we will work together to glorify Him.
Humor me for a second and imagine that you are an eye, but your best friend is an ear. Your best friend can hear wonderful sounds of music and can hear when there might be a danger nearby. But your friend cannot see. Your friend cannot see the beautiful array of colors and landscapes that you can. Does this make either of you better or worse off than the other? Absolutely not. It just makes you different. And together you can hear the sounds of the wind and the birds chirping in the distance all while gazing at this beautiful river or mountaintop. Isn’t that amazing?
When you are calling yourself these negative labels I want you to remember that your labels are not who you really are. You may HAVE depression, you may HAVE autism, you may HAVE cancer. You may FEEL stupid, anxious, or unworthy. These are not WHO YOU ARE.
There is a God above who knew you before you were even born. In your mother’s womb He created you, and He loved you. God knows everything there is to know about you. He knows even things that you don’t know yet. And yes he knows you’re suffering with feeling different. But he doesn’t want you to let this difference make you feel like you are not designed to be great. God has created you with a purpose, and you are going to change the world.
Remember this:
“You will shine among them like stars in the sky” Philippians 2:15
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Romans 8:37
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9
“No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” John 15:15
“And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” Romans 8:17
When you catch yourself living up to a negative label in which you have put upon yourself, I want you to replace it with the truth that God says about you. You are LOVED, you are HIS HANDIWORK created for greatness, to be LIGHT and CONQUERER in this world, you are CHOSEN, a FRIEND, and CHILD OF GOD. Nothing negative you say about yourself is truth. These are lies from the enemy whispered in your ear, or told to you by other humans who are also believing their own lies about themselves. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the light. When you listen to what he says, what HE believes about you, and choose to live by HIS labels and not your own. You will see that you are beautiful, amazing, and perfect the way you are. He designed you that way.
I know it’s hard to see this is a culture that is always so hateful and negative. We are so quick to judge what is different and to criticize that which we do not understand. When someone else is labeling you, I want you to remember that what they are saying is not truth and I hope you don’t believe it. When someone says something mean or puts you down for being who you are, remember that Christ lives within you and His light is radiating through you. Your differences make you great, they make you unique, and special, and important. Never forget that.
Much Love,
Caylee
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