Happy Monday! And welcome to my first official day of my new series, Intentional Living: Being Content While Single.
Today I want to share what I believe is the most important component to being content while single, identity. I believe identity can make you or break you. Who you think you are will influence how you act and how you live.
Your true identity will not be found once you have a ring on your finger, a man at your side, or a baby on your hip. You are more than that.
Your identity must come not from changing circumstances, but from Christ alone, who is the only steady force in our lives. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8
Here are a couple of my favorite truths and verses that do not change.
You are a daughter of the King. “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty." 2 Corinthians 6:18 "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1
He rejoices over you. The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with his singing. Zephaniah 3:17
He chose you on purpose, individually chosen for himself. Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12
He has a plan. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
He has forgiven you. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
He is always with you. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6
He loves you. But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. Psalm 13:5 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
When we first find our identity in Christ, over others and things, we become a more steadfast person. We are not as likely to be pushed around by emotions of bitterness, worry, anger, jealousy, resentment, worthlessness, and other feelings. We can know that we are loved, and that doesn't ever change due to our relationship status. We can know that regardless of our Friday night plans, we have a God who thinks we are beautiful. Despite our ideas of what we thought we would have in our lives by now, we have a God who knows the whole plan, and is working it out for our good, in His perfect timing. We are treasured daughters of the King. He rejoices over us.
You are loved by the relentless lover, you are forgiven more than you know, you are known by the God of the universe, and He even calls you by name.
We didn't have to choose Him, He already chose us.
So, stop with the worry, rest in Him, and remember who you really are.
Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love.For He foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will [because it pleased Him and was His kind intent] (Ephesians 1:4-5 Amplified Bible)
When we realize our identity truly is in Him, we can rest in His arms, knowing He loves us, and that will never change.
GiveAWay Info: I will be giving a way a prize pack with some of my favorite goodies at the end of this series! There is only one prize. You can enter every day of the week by answering the question at the end of each daily blog. Leave a comment with your name, city and state, and your answer to my question to be entered in this week's prize pack! I will announce the winner in a post on Saturday, April 13th, 2013. The winner will have to contact me via email at michelletobolivia@gmail.com with their mailing address to receive their prize. Good luck!
Monday's question: What is your favorite verse that reminds you of your true identity?
Happy Monday.
Love, M
Be on the lookout for a giveaway at the end of the week!
The Complete Series:
Allison Rochester, MN
ReplyDeleteDelight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37: 4
This is one of my all time favorites too!
DeleteLorissa - Steinbach, MB
ReplyDeleteThe Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3:17
I love the picture of God holding us in His arms ans singing over us.
DeleteI wrote this post on this verse on another site I write for.
http://graceeveryday.org/resting-in-his-arms/
My favorite is Psalm 139:14-16. And I am so happy you are doing this series. Single women need you. :-)
ReplyDelete14I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
15My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
16Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.
Thank you so much Brenda! It was an inward battle to write about being single. I am just so thankful God is using it to His glory!
DeleteKim Beecham Mt. Pleasant, NC
ReplyDeleteMine is Eph. 2:10
English Standard Version (ESV)
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
I love this one!
DeleteAmber, Clarkston, MI
ReplyDeleteI LOVE: Ephesians 1:4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.
What a crazy concept...He chose us before the world was created!!!
DeleteBethany Jacksonville, FL
ReplyDeleteMy favorite has got to be I Peter 2:9. "But you are a chosen race, a royal pristhood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." Our whole identity is wrapped in the perfect love and atoning sacrifice of Jesus. Therefore, we belong to God and are considered royalty...Wow!