It amazes me the words we speak over ourselves. We often talk to ourselves in ways we would never talk to others we love.
I used to remind myself how fat I was. I was too ugly. No man could ever find me attractive. I would never amount to anything. I was going to stay this way forever. I was stupid.
If I were to hear you say any of those words to my best friends, I’d slap you sideways, yet I had no problem saying it to myself. The sad part? Not only did I say those things – I believed them.
Then I learned Who I was in Christ. That changed everything. This guy Jesus, who died for me and you, has a lot to say about us. It turns out, the above mentioned statements aren’t found anywhere in Scripture.

[Tweet “Knowing Who We are in Christ Changes Everything!”]
You might think I’m crazy, but go with me here. I encourage you to apply these four steps to your life starting today. I promise you’ll see results! What do you have to lose?

Fake it til you make it.

When I lived in the TRFC discipleship program several years ago, my counselor gave me this list. She told me to stare in the mirror and say it out loud several times. I thought she was crazy!
The first time I did it was a complete waste of my time. The second day I felt like an idiot. Day three I did it simply because I didn’t want to miss the routine of following through with my assignment. Day four I was curious. By day seven something in me shifted. I noticed I wasn’t talking as negatively about myself. I could hear myself under my breath repeating, “I am a new creation in Christ.”
You may not be convinced speaking God’s truth over your life makes a difference, but I dare you to try it.

Write down what God says about you. 

Journal this list. Write each Scripture on a note card and set them everywhere you can think of – your fridge, car, shower. Yes, shower. Get a ziplock back and stick it to your shower wall.
Take them to work with you. Read them on your lunch break. At breakfast. When you’re on the elliptical.
My friend Jennifer wrote some of her favorite scriptures from the list and kept them in a binder of note cards, reading one at every stop light.

Memorize what God says about you. 

Since you’re writing them out, go ahead and memorize a new one maybe once/week, every two weeks, one verse a month, whatever works for you. You’ll be surprised how quickly “I am more than a conqueror through Him Who loves me” will come to your mind when you’re having a rough day.
If someone else says something negative about you, remind them and yourself who Jesus says you are.

You’ll always need to be reminded. 

I’m my own worst critic. I work hard to have grace for other people, but I struggle to have it for myself, especially when it comes to my weight. I still struggle with insecurity.
Though I’ve lost 145 lbs., it’s easy for me to forget that. I’ll have a bad week and feel like a total failure, beating myself up. I’ll return to the cycle of “I’m never going to find a man to love me for me. I can’t believe I can’t get my life straight. I’m a failure.”
Just last week I was struggling with that and I get a text message from my friend Steve, who created a before and after picture of me, thanking me for inspiring him. That was a gift of God to me, reminding me of His grace.
Compared to four years ago, I’m much quicker to remind myself all those thoughts are lies. I then restart the cycle of reminding myself what Jesus says about me.
When we talk about ourselves the way we wouldn’t speak to our own worst enemy, we’re slapping the God who created us in the face. When we put ourselves down, we put God’s masterpiece down. God doesn’t make mistakes, my friend.
[Tweet “When we put ourselves down, we put God’s masterpiece down. God doesn’t make mistakes, my friend.”]
If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are a new creation. Fat doesn’t define you. Your looks don’t define you. Your relationship status doesn’t define you. Jesus Christ defines you.
You are wonderful! You were made for more! Live it out today.
[reminder]What is your favorite thing God says about you in Scripture?[/reminder]