Made for More: 30 Days of Experiencing More Life, Love, and FreedomSample

Day 27: Seeing Your False Self

Much of a man or woman’s personality can originate from his or her false self—certainly tangled up with one’s true self but just that… tangled. That True Self is in there but often buried beneath a thick layer of personality and the lies that promote self-protection, self-reliance, self- provision. The false self tends to take center stage. It’s the version of us we want others to see… or wish we were… or the version we’ve built from years of wounded unloving experiences. It’s the part of us trying to keep us safe, trying to earn love, trying to be “enough.”

The funny guy cracks jokes to keep the attention. The strong leader gets loud and intense to prove he isn’t afraid. The quiet man isn’t shy—he’s just figured out that silence keeps him hidden. The know-it-all always has something to add—his “two cents”—to feel seen or smart or secure. The only thing true about the false self… It's false!

I’ve played out, lived out these roles myself. It’s exhausting to maintain the version of me I think others want. But that posture, or wearing those masks, often feels safer than showing the real me. The truth is, there's a thin line between the personality we were created with and the one we’ve constructed to cope, impress, or avoid. And somewhere along the way, many of us forgot which is which.

Sometimes, we don’t even know what our true self looks like anymore. It’s been overshadowed, even taken hostage, by the imposter. Masks are normal and words and actions are justified, ‘that’s just the way I am.” When we’re tangled in lies and faulty internal narratives, it's impossible to show up as the man or woman God created.

For years, I looked to others to define me. What did I need to do to be “enough”? What did I need to tone down so I wouldn’t be “too much”? That kind of living becomes a long, exhausting performance. You end up like a chameleon, blending into every room but belonging to none.

But something changes when the voice of God becomes louder than the voices of the false self or the false self in others. That’s when freedom begins. The false self has a voice, yes—but it’s not yours. When you start to notice it, to hear it trying to be you, see it reacting as you, you’re on your way to healing. That’s how the true you starts to rise, it sees and hears and can begin to separate from the false self ways.

Each of us carries something uniquely special. But fear hijacks it. Lies twist it. The kingdom of darkness will try everything to keep us from freedom, even using a creature on the inside. The false self isn’t you, but it will be as long as it's allowed. But God’s redemptive plan is always greater. What the enemy meant for harm, God intends to deliver us from, restore us to true—if we’ll let Him.

Where might God be inviting you to hand over the lies and receive loving truth in return?

As you reflect on all this with God today, consider asking Him:

Father, is there one phrase or sentence that feels like it’s just for me today? Would You help me hear it clearly and understand why it matters?

Jesus, I believe that seeing and hearing my false self is the first step toward freedom. Would You help me build an “observation deck”—a place in my heart where I can meet with You and notice when the imposter is showing up?

Holy Spirit, how is my false self currently working against my true self? Am I hiding through passivity, or dominating through aggression? Please open my eyes to recognize those moments when the false self is leading—so I can learn to let the true me step forward with You.