Be the You God Created You to Be

The year was 2016 and it started like any other year.  By the end of the first month, I knew it would not be.  God used my doctor to bring me to my church as my Father knew what was coming, what His plans were for me, and this church would be the vehicle He would use to save my soul, hold me up and align me to His perfect will and purpose for my life.

All my life to that point was a pursuit in pleasing others and self, fitting into the molds others had cast for me, seeking approval, pretending to be something I was never created to be.  My Father would do what needed to be done to bring me back into alignment with Him. The manmade molds needed to be broken.

By February 2016, my marriage was falling apart and in the very same month, my earthly father was diagnosed with Stage 3 Esophageal Cancer.  Months later my dog of 13 years, my shadow and companion, fell deathly ill and didn’t have much time left.  By June, my worst fears became reality in my marriage.  One by one my idols were being removed, cornerstones of “my identity” destroyed, and I was reduced to dust. “then the LORD God formed the man of dust…” (Genesis 2:7). God was doing a new thing but in my pain I could not perceive it.

While my marriage was not dead, it was struggling for breath and cancer took my father March, 2019.  To understand the depths of this loss you must know that my father was and forever will be the earthly man who loved me purely and completely, my good, my bad and ugly and was undeniably, irrefutably faithful to me.  I was his little girl.  My father, during his fight with cancer, in his last months, even called me when I was sick to see if I was doing better and if there was anything he could do for me.  This was my father!  Losing such a man in the midst of a tumultuous season should have killed me.  But, God was doing a new thing.

In addition, I ended up having to put down my loyal dog of 14 years.  Another earthly comfort removed.  With that, God had removed, or allowed the removal of all my earthly comforts, support, love, and idols.  What was left was the love of my God.  It was just Him and I. Finally.  God became my everything in those years from 2016 through 2019. 

In June 2019, as the dust was settling, I began to ask the question, “Lord, who am I?  Who have You created me to be?”  The answers came slowly as the last 3 ½ years of my life had seem to wipe clean all I thought I was.  Looking back, I can see I was wiped clean of all internal identifying characteristics and personality, so His person, His Spirit would be the core of my identity and existence, my only source.  This would be the season that He would restore that in me He always had created to be.  One by one, my traits were being re-established, redefined, brought to me in light of who He is and who He is calling me to be.

Apart from God, I don’t know who I am.  “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Now, He is, in every conceivable way, my cornerstone.  He defines me.  As if the gift of salvation of Jesus is not all encompassing and supremely sufficient, He has given me a new life while still on earth.  A new identity, a new dream, a new hope, a promise.  Of all His marvelous creations, He knew he wanted one of “me”, one of you.

Friend, you and I are were created by the Father of lights (James 1:17) .  In all His creation He divinely appointed you to be you, not someone else.  He has one of those already, whomever it is you might be comparing yourself to or trying to emulate.

He wanted a Michelle, as He created me to be.  He wanted a (insert your name here), as He created you to be.

Is He doing a new thing in you but all you can see is the world?  Do you ever find yourself trying to fit into someone else’s mold? Do you realize you might be trying to?

All of His ways are intentional, flawless, and purposeful.  You were created on purpose by the Perfect One, the Ancient of Days.  Be you and only you, nothing else will do!

Prayer: Holy Father, blessed be Your name! From the beginning You ordained that my Friend would be Your creation, made in Your image. I ask You in the name of Jesus that first and foremost my Friend would know You, love You and accept Your Son Jesus as their Savior and Lord. I ask You Father that starting today they shed the labels, names, and casts this world has placed on them and walk in who You created them to be, fearfully and wonderfully made! You alone are their Creator and Father, so You alone get to define them. May they come to deeply understand what it is to be Your child. It’s in the Almighty, Matchless name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen!