Who we are as a person is one of the most important things we must know. Our identity, and the way we look at ourselves, impacts every day of our lives. It is important to know who we are.

Many people are locked into an identity that is severely affected by what other people think. They allow what people think to define their identity. In our world of social media, this is truer than ever. Sadly, what people think is not always the correct analysis of who we are. In fact, it can be damaging to listen to the words that some people say about us:

• “You’re not good enough.”
• “You never do anything right.”
• “You’re ugly.” 
• “You’ll never succeed.”
• “You’re a failure.”   

Words like these hurt and can lead us to have negative opinions about ourselves, making us feel ashamed, unacceptable, undesirable, unworthy of love, and just not good enough. If we listen to these words long enough, we begin to believe them. We feel like we will never measure up to what people think we should be. We feel incomplete.

We can seek to find our “completeness” through relationships, achievement, or destructive behavior .. . or a combination of all three! 

• We seek relationships to get rid of the loneliness and emptiness that we feel, hoping that will result in feeling loved and accepted. But sometimes we settle for second-rate love – love that we know is not the real thing – as long as the loneliness and emptiness is gone. This only leads to unhappiness.

God has better for you.    

• We seek achievement to prove that we can amount to something! We work very hard to succeed so that people will see that we are good enough. But working like that makes us weary because we are constantly under pressure to succeed. And if we fail, it reinforces our belief that we are not good enough.  

God doesn’t make you work for His love. It is a free gift from heaven.    

• Unfortunately, some people resort to destructive behavior to push away the pain and the feelings of inadequacy, even if it’s only for a moment. But this only leads to greater pain and rejection, as we literally begin to hate our lives and hate ourselves.

God loves you unconditionally, and He will never throw you away.

Who knows the most about a house? The people standing on the outside looking at it, or the architect who designed it and the man who built it?

Who knows more about a car? The people looking at it when it is parked on the street and commenting on it when it drives by, or the designers and engineers who made it?

Who knows more about a sculpture? The people admiring it in the museum, or the artist who made it with his own hands?

Who knows more about you? The people to make comments about your life, judge you, hurt you with their words, and talk about you, or the One who made you and designed you for a unique and divine purpose?

The Most High God said, “Before I formed you in your mother’s womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I ordained a purpose for your life.”  (Jeremiah 1:5).

God’s love is unconditional. He loves you even when you fail. He never condemns you. Others may think you are not enough, but God made you perfect in His sight.

God shows us His love in the most amazing and extraordinary way: “God loved you so much that He gave His one and only son, Jesus, so that whoever believes in Him will not die eternally but will have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).

We decorate a tree at Christmastime. We put lights and ornaments on it and celebrate the season when Jesus Christ was born. But Jesus birth was not just for a celebration; He came to give us life. Through His death on the cross, the supreme sacrifice was paid for our sin and shame. Now we can live with peace and hope every day if we just believe.

“God demonstrated His love toward us in this way: While we were still sinners, Jesus Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

What amazing love.

When you see a Christmas Tree beautifully decorated with lights and ornaments this season, think about what Jesus did for you on the cross. Think about that great and awesome love. Then remember that, in His eyes, you are enough. You are loved unconditionally. And God has wonderful plans for your life. Just believe.