We are Who You Say We Are

 

Have you ever felt weighed down by the labels others put on you? What if the truth is that you are so much more than those words—what if you are defined by something far greater?

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman, "Who You Say We Are"; the chorus says, "We are your sons, we are your daughters, Hallelujah, we are who you say we are. So we lift our hands and cry Abba Father, Hallelujah we are who you say we are, hallelujah we are who you say we are."

I have listened to this song many times, and never fully listened, that is, until the other day.  I was out for my morning walk when this song came on, and I felt like God was nudging me to really listen. What resonated with me was, "I am who God says I am." A child of God, redeemed, fearfully and wonderfully made, I am not defined by negative labels like "fat", "stupid", or any other label someone tries to put on me, and neither are you.

We are not defined by what someone else has told us; we are who God says we are. God says we are wonderfully and fearfully made; made in His image. He did not give us a spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound mind, a mind free from disease and defect. I used to think that because my birth mother was described as having schizophrenia, I would inherit that same struggle. However, after reading 2 Timothy 1:7, I learned that having a sound mind means possessing the mental and emotional capacity for clear thinking, free from impairment caused by illness, trauma, or confusion.  This is what God says about me: that I have a sound mind, a mind free from any illness.

If we have asked Jesus into our hearts and have asked Him to be our Savior, we are not who the world says we are; we are who God says we are. We are His children; we are redeemed; we are healed; and we are set free.

 

HALLELUJAH, WE ARE WHO GOD SAYS WE ARE!