Embracing Your True Self: Living in Your Christ-Centered Identity With Jennifer SlatterySample

You are known.

Growing up, Tara didn’t just feel unknown; she felt mis-known. When her pain came out as anger, adults labeled her defiant. When insecurity initiated withdrawal, her classmates called her snobby. When soul wounds from her past triggered reactions that confused her, rather than come to her aid, her parents punished her.

By adulthood, she’d learned to hide behind a more “socially acceptable” persona. She learned to read others and prioritize pleasing them over remaining true to herself. Then one day, a neighbor introduced her to the God who knew her fully and loved her completely.

If we’re accustomed to experiencing rejection, being known can feel terrifying. But God isn’t like the mom or dad who reacted from their wounding. He’s not frustrated when we’re animated, timid, upset or sad. He understands why we behave the way we do and meets us with tenderness and grace. A grace that bids us to unveil the most vulnerable places in our souls so that His light can shine, unhindered, within us.

Journal prompts:

Pause to consider a time when you most felt known. What emotions or sensations did this evoke within you? Consider these two realities—that you are fully known and fully loved. What does this mean to you? In what ways might you be tempted to hide from God (your doubts, fears, anger, etc.), and how might He want to lovingly nudge you out of the shadows so that you can more fully live in His grace.