Day Four // Reading: I John 1:8-9

Devotional

Lie: My identity is found in my successes and failures.

TRUTH: My identity is not found in what I do; it’s found in God. I am a child of God. I will let God alone form my identity.

“If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.”

— I JOHN 1:8-9, NLT

Let’s just set this straight from the beginning of our week: Our identity is not based on our successes or failures. To live like we will never fail or as if we have no weakness is actually living in denial of being human!

When we fail (and we all will), let’s not say things like “I AM a failure.” Because that is not the truth. The truth is, “What I did failed.” It’s: I made a poor choice. I did something that I knew I shouldn’t. I spoke behind my friend's back, and that was wrong. I was really mean to my parents. I made a mistake with that guy, and I feel terrible. I didn’t excel at something I tried. Remind yourself: What I did was wrong, but who I am remains constant. I am still a deeply loved child of God. I am already right in God’s sight because of what Jesus did for me on the cross. Period.

The beautiful thing is that God can use our moments of failure to mold and shape us to be more like Him. Through the help of the Holy Spirit, we can be transformed from the inside out. This doesn’t mean we will ever be perfect; in and of ourselves, we never will. But if we bring those failures to God, confess our sin, and ask Him to shape us, we can learn to see failures as a blessing instead of something to be ashamed of.

Failures, when brought to God, can open our eyes to see how much we need God in our lives. God doesn’t want our failures to change our identity; only He deserves the right to shape and define who we are. As we bring our failures to Him, He can mature us. Nothing is wasted in God’s plan. Who knows? Maybe that failure will be something that God will use in the future to help bring others closer to Him.

It’s time for us to lay the shame down, pick up the gracious gift of God, and start moving forward in freedom. Trust that God will help you make wise choices in the future and learn from the past in the process.

PRAYER: God, I trust You with not only my victories, but my failures too. Only You deserve the right to define who I am. I thank You that nothing I could ever do will change how You view me. When I mess up, fail, or sin, help me be quick to repent, come to You, and see myself the way You do.

Question: Where in my life am I allowing failure to define my worth?