Letting Go of My Former Names

If you are as massively introspective as I can be at times, you may struggle with constantly self-analyzing yourself. The ultimate answer is to "stop looking at yourself," but we need more help than that. Patterns of thinking that have developed over long periods of time, in order to be reformed, need constant bombardment with new patterns of thinking. Think of it like a basketball player, after being spotted by a "professional" as having bad form when shooting, is told the right way to shoot, and then practices daily shooting shots using this new, good form.

So why do I bring this up?

I was sitting in my bed last night, struggling through some things with my cousin on the phone, and I realized that I was stuck viewing myself and my situations in a way that is not based upon the truth. Yet, my thoughts on myself and my situations seemed so real, and felt so true. The result of my opinions on things: hopelessness, anxiety, sadness. I would also add, apart from my own opinions, I may be agreeing with the opinions of another, mainly Satan. The accuser and tempter comes and whispers his nasty lies into my ear. Most of the time these "opinions" of the enemy are based upon reality, and I find myself agreeing with him, and therefore falling into the same trap: hopelessness, anxiety, and sadness.

So what's the deal? What do I do now?

I must begin to fight back. I must fight the good fight of faith to believe that which God's Word says is true. I must preach to myself and rebuke Satan's seductive lies. And, if you have put your trust in Christ Jesus, you can embrace that which is true of you too:

- Jesus took God's wrath, due us, upon Himself; therefore, there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1)

• "I am not condemned. Get away from me liar, for my sins are no longer counted against me."

- Our name is no longer, "sinner" or "adulterer" or "cheater" or "weirdo" or "hopeless one" or "mad man/woman," but rather "child of God," "saint," "redeemed," "Christian,"and "beloved" (Romans 8:14-17)

• "I am a redeemed child of God, and He loves me dearly no matter my flaws and failures - God is that good! Flee from me Satan, I no longer embrace your lies or your accusations; I only accept the truth about me, that I am God's child."

- What we did yesterday is not held against us. God's grace is not given as a wage for "good works." For example, I didn't spend time in the Word yesterday, therefore, today "that conversation" is not going to go well, or "that talk" will not go well. (Psalm 103:8-14). *(I am not saying that God does not give consequences to His children, but merely that the performance trap we get into to gain God's favor is a false reality)

• "God has good works for me to do today. God is working all things together for my good. God is not like a human, in that oftentimes human relationships are based upon, 'if you do this then I'll do that.' That sin I committed in the past does not mean that I have now missed God's 'best plan for my life,' and will now have to settle for God's 'second best plan for my life.' God will and is blessing me even now! Get away from me liar, I do not have to work my way back into God's favor, for because of Jesus, I am already in His favor!

To keep it short, I will keep it at three, but the Bible contains amazing truths which we must use daily to fight the good fight. I suppose it's the call to renew our minds in Romans 12:2: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

Join me in in the battle to "let go of my former names!"

Blessed Annoyance

So, what do we do when certain people in our lives annoy us?

I'm talking about those people who really get on our nerves. Even harder, those people who get on our nerves who we serve alongside in ministry. It is fascinating to me that in a given situation, I and another person have the capacity to say the exact "perfect" thing to one another that creates an awkward situation of disagreement and contention.

I confess that my desire in those situations is to "flee the scene." Or next time, to "avoid the scene." I'll chalk that person and I's relationship up to "different personalities" and "for the sake of the ministry" avoid interaction with he or she. This action may be best for the ministry. God may be using contention to call two different people to two different areas of ministry. However, this may not be the case. Unfortunately for all who struggle with this as I do, this may be a call by God into a season of learning the truth about love.

Jesus calls us to love our enemies, and pray for those who persecute us. This is one reason I know that the desire of my Father is that I love he or she who annoys me, and to pray for he or she who I do not get along with. Not to mention the fact that he or she is most likely my brother or sister in Christ - part of our family! Also, they are probably just as annoyed with me and my fleshly tendencies and personality. So, what do we do now?

The next time I am in those situations of "annoying interactions," resolve:

- to remind myself that God was annoyed with the way that I rejected His self-less love for me, yet He loved and pursued me anyway.

- to remind myself that I am speaking with, perhaps, a member of my family (God's family).

- to remind myself that God has power to change my heart so that we become the best of friends.

- to remind myself that I can serve and love this person in the power of Christ, and have joy in doing so.

- to chose to love them and pray for them.

- to chose to forget my flesh and the lies that I make up in my head, for the sake of another.


All of this in the hope of knowing Jesus more fully, and glorifying His beautiful love!