Breaking Free From Labels & Finding Identity in ChristНамуна

Key Verse: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10 (NIV)

Even after years of walking with God, the old labels can resurface, especially when life gets hard. When my kids’ dad struggled with addiction, the enemy whispered the same lies from my childhood: You’re unworthy. You’re not lovable. It’s happening again.

But this time, I fought differently. When he went to treatment, I begged God to fix him. Instead, God turned the focus back on me: Let’s work on healing your heart.

At first, I didn’t understand. I thought healing was supposed to happen in him, not in me. But God began showing me that my heart had also been wounded — by addiction, by broken promises, by years of trying to hold everything together. I realized that my identity had become tangled up in someone else’s recovery.

Learning to hear God wasn’t about audible words — it was about stillness. It was sitting with His Word open, letting truth soak into places that had long been filled with fear. It was worship when I didn’t feel like singing. It was journaling through tears, listening for His peace.

And following Him? That looked like obedience — small steps of faith in the middle of uncertainty. It looked like showing up to church even when I wanted to isolate. It looked like surrounding myself with women who prayed with me and reminded me of who I was in Christ. It looked like surrendering control again and again, even when my heart broke doing it.

As I followed His lead, I started to notice His fingerprints everywhere — in conversations, in Scripture, in quiet moments when my spirit felt seen. Slowly, He peeled back the layers of pain and showed me how He had been with me through it all.

The Israelites knew this battle well. After God freed them from slavery in Egypt, they still longed for Egypt when things got hard (Exodus 16). Old labels — slave, captive — were hard to shake. But God was teaching them, just as He taught me: Your past doesn’t define you. I do.

And that’s what He wants for you, too. When old lies resurface, His truth still stands: You are not who you were. You are who I say you are.

Reflection Questions:

• What moments in your life trigger old labels to resurface?
• How does God want to speak healing into those moments?
• What step of obedience could you take to follow Him toward healing today?

Prayer: Lord, when the old lies come back, help me to tune my heart to Your voice. Teach me to slow down, to sit with You, and to trust the gentle whispers of Your Spirit. I thank You for never giving up on me, even when I’ve been broken and afraid. Help me follow You one obedient step at a time, knowing You are leading me toward healing and freedom. Amen.