Scared To Be KnownSample

By Dave Adamson

Have you ever seen the way rust affects a car? It eats away at the body, damaging the metal and making it unsightly. When we allow things from our pasts to affect our identity, it can be like rust—causing damage and making our futures unsightly. But even though we are products of our pasts, we don't have to be prisoners of them. In fact, the apostle Paul wrote that we become "new creations" and leave our pasts behind when we choose to follow Jesus. 

This is my favorite verse in Scripture. After enduring sexual abuse as a child, I have always found hope in knowing that “the old has gone; the new is here!" I have this verse tattooed on my arm as a reminder that my past no longer has to affect my future. I won’t let my past define my identity because I know that life has many chapters—one bad one doesn’t define the whole book.

Is there a piece of your past that you need to make peace with today? Be reminded that your identity is not stuck in the past. You don't have to regret the past; just learn from it. Your identity is in Christ.

Question for Reflection: 

· What does it mean to you to think that your identity is not defined by your past, but rather by your relationship with Christ?

· What is one way you can remind yourself on a regular basis that your identity is in Christ?