Coming Home to Who God Says You Are
Night Is Normal Part 9 - Everything We Are Not: Coming Home to Who God Says You Are
In this episode of Heartfelt Conversations with Diana, we explore one of the deepest struggles many Christians face—disillusionment with ourselves.
Together we'll discover what Scripture says about our identity, why we often measure ourselves by the wrong standard, and how Jesus invites us to stop striving for acceptance and begin resting in who we already are in Christ.
Through personal testimony, biblical encouragement, and practical Building Blocks for everyday life, you'll be reminded that your identity isn't based on your performance—it's rooted in the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Because...
Jesus has covered everything we are not.
Diana’s Notes
Heartfelt Conversations with Diana
The Night is Normal Study
Everything We Are Not: Coming Home to Who God Says You Are
Hello everybody!! And welcome back to Heartfelt Conversations with Diana.
Before we jump into today's conversation, I want to share with you a little about why I love the heartbeat of my local church.
Recently, my home church spent the week serving several communities around us during what we call Love Week.
We gave away backpacks filled with school supplies.
There were hot dogs… Popcorn… Cotton candy...Inflatables for the kids ...Games… Everything was free.
Hundreds of volunteers simply showed up because they wanted people to know they were loved.
I volunteered at one of the community events, and I'll be honest with you...
As I drove home that evening, I had one overwhelming thought.
My heart feels full. Not because life suddenly became easy.
Not because all the problems in our world disappeared. But because for a few beautiful hours… People simply loved one another.
The kids laughed. Parents smiled. Neighbors visited. Volunteers served.
Families enjoyed being together. And for just a little while… Our differences took a back seat to the community.
As I watched everything unfold, I realized something. Nobody was trying to prove they belonged. They simply belonged. Nobody was trying to impress anyone. Nobody was trying to earn a place. People simply came together to love and be loved. As I drove home, I couldn't stop thinking...
Isn't that exactly what Jesus invites us into? A life that is no longer driven by proving...but by belonging.
And that brings me to today's conversation.
Because one of the greatest burdens Christians quietly carry isn't the fear that God isn't enough.
It's the fear that somehow… we aren't.
Which leads us into the title of today’s episode: Everything We Are Not: Coming Home to Who God Says You Are
I am sure that many of us have quietly thought things like…
"I thought I'd be farther along by now." "I thought I would have more faith." "I thought I'd be more patient." "I thought I wouldn't still be struggling with this." "I thought by now I'd be different."
Guess what?? If you've ever had thoughts like that, you’re not alone.
Today's lesson from The Night Is Normal study I have been sharing asks us to wrestle with something deeply personal.
Who am I...without a title? Who am I without accomplishments?
Without success? Or even without failures? We can get used to living in agreement with the failures we label ourselves with.
Who are you when everything you usually identify with is stripped away?
Disillusionment with God says,
"I thought God would be different."
Disillusionment with others says,
"I thought they would be different."
But disillusionment with ourselves quietly whispers...
"I thought I would be different."
If we're not careful...that whisper slowly becomes our identity.
Has anyone ever found themselves there?
For many years… that was me.
I honestly believed if I could just become a better version of myself...
Then maybe I would finally be enough.
Maybe then God would be pleased with me.
Maybe then other people would be pleased with me.
I spent years trying to be perfect.
Trying to make everybody happy.
Trying to earn what God had already freely given me.
Can anybody relate to that?
The problem wasn't if I loved God. Or believed there was a God.
For me, the problem was that I didn't understand who I already was in Christ when I received Jesus as my Savior. For decades, I walked around like the living dead, because I didn’t leave the old dead things behind and learn about my identity in Christ. Life was just plain frustrating because the harder I tried, the more I failed until I just felt like an imposter, a fraud. I was not juggling life because I was trying to figure it all out on my own.
Everything changed when I stopped asking,
"How can I become good enough?" and started asking,
"Jesus...who do You say I already am?" That question changed my life.
Over the last several years, the Lord has impressed one simple sentence on my heart, and it has become part of the heartbeat of this ministry.
It is this:
Everything we are not...has been covered by Jesus.
What a freeing thought. Everything we lack… Every weakness...
Every failure… Every place we don't measure up...
Jesus already knew about it… and He loved us and paid for it all anyway.
Peter gives us a wonderful example of this struggle.
Peter loved Jesus with all his heart.
But many times, Peter thought more like the world than the Kingdom.
Jesus even told him in Matthew 16,
"You are setting your mind on human concerns rather than God's concerns."
Peter wasn't lacking passion. He was lacking perspective.
And honestly… so do we sometimes.
The world measures us by performance.
Jesus measures us by relationship.
The world asks, "What have you accomplished?"
Jesus asks, "Will you walk with Me?"
Those are two completely different questions.
One of Paul's favorite expressions is simply this:
In Christ.
Not striving toward Christ. Not hoping to someday belong.
Not trying harder.
In Christ.
Our identity is no longer based upon what we've done.
It's based upon what Jesus has already done.
When the Father looks at us...
He sees sons and daughters.
Accepted. Forgiven. Loved. Growing.
Everything we are not… has been covered by Jesus.
Romans tells us not to be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
Romans 12:2: (NLT) Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
In other words, do not let society press you into its ungodly mold or superficial values. Avoid living just for selfish desires, pride, or temporary pleasures.
It’s A Call to Transformation - To:
Renew your mind: Change how you think by focusing on God's truth every day.
Live Out God's will: Live out what is good, pleasing, and perfect through a changed life.
Transformation begins with changing what we believe.
Because what we believe eventually becomes how we live.
That's why Paul tells us in Philippians to think about whatever is true...
honorable...
pure...
lovely...
excellent...
and worthy of praise.
Philippians 4:8: (NIV)Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Your thoughts become the atmosphere your heart lives in.
Not every thought deserves your agreement.
Some thoughts need to be taken captive and compared with God's Word.
As we follow Jesus and learn to keep our eyes fixed on Him...
2 Corinthians says we are being transformed into His image.
Little by little… day by day… He changes us.
Not because we're earning His love… but because we're already loved.
And I love what Psalm 103 reminds us.
"As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him, for He knows how we are formed; He remembers that we are dust."
One of our pastors, Pastor Annie, did a message a while back on this scripture and made everyone laugh when she made a - "We are- butt dust!"m ( you have to hear the message) LOL.
Every time I hear that… I giggle. Because she's right. We're human. That’s what that verse is saying. God remembers we are - but dust.
We're fragile. So guess what? God already knows that, then, right?
Nothing about you surprises Him. Right?
He knew every weakness before He ever called you into being. Now, He just wants you to have a relationship with Him.
BUILDING BLOCK #1
Stop Measuring Yourself by Yourself
2 Corinthians 10:12:(NLT)Oh, don’t worry; we wouldn’t dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!
Comparison has never been God's measuring stick.
Stop comparing yourself with or against anyone else!
Stop measuring your worth by your performance.
What you have
What you don’t have
Your value was settled at the Cross.
BUILDING BLOCK #2
Learn to Think With God
In other words, your thoughts need mentoring. Or at least mine did! LOL
Ask yourself..."Does this thought sound like something Jesus would say to me?"
If not, don't build your life on it. Replace lies with truth. Replace shame with grace. Replace fear with faith.
How? By getting into God’s word, so that you know what you should be speaking.
"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think."
Romans 12:2 (NLT)
He can’t change the way we think if we aren’t in His word every day.
BUILDING BLOCK #3
Live From Your Identity, Not For It
You don't obey God, so He will love you. You choose to obey because He already does.
Identity always comes before roots and shoots. Everything grows from there.
We have to know we are God’s handiwork and see ourselves as He does when we receive Jesus - we are in Christ.
"For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago."
—Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)
Maybe today you've been carrying labels that God never gave you.
Maybe you've spent years trying to become enough.
Today, Jesus invites you to rest. To stop striving. To stop proving. To simply belong.
Because if you belong to Christ, your identity has already been settled.
Remember - Everything we are not...has been covered by Jesus.
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for loving us before we ever learned how to love You back. Thank You that our identity is not built upon our performance, but upon the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Renew our minds with Your truth. Help us recognize the lies we've believed about ourselves and replace them with what You say is true. Teach us to stop striving for an identity You've already given us and to rest in being Your sons and daughters.
When we stumble, remind us of Your grace. When we feel inadequate, remind us that Your strength is made perfect in our weakness. Help us live each day from the security of being loved, forgiven, accepted, and made new in Christ.
May our lives reflect more of Your Son Jesus every day as we continue walking with Him. We ask these things in Jesus' precious name, Amen.
Next week, we'll continue our journey together as we discover how to trust God's heart even when we don't understand His ways.
Keep building your life on the firm foundation of God's Word.
And never forget...
Everything we are not...has been covered by Jesus.
God's invitation has never been, "Try harder." His invitation has always been, "Come closer."
Grace and peace, my friend. ❤️ Until next time… Remember this:
Faithfulness isn't measured by how fast you run.
It's measured by the direction you're headed.
So keep moving toward Jesus.
One ordinary step… One ordinary day… At a time.
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And on our Facebook page, you will find Daily Delights with Diana - short, easy-to-read daily encouragements to get your day started with our LORD.
You can join us online for the Sunday service at Valley Family Church! If you are nearby, please join us for the 9 AM or the 11:15 services.
You can find the link for Valley’s Sunday service, the notes from today’s podcast, and a fantastic teaching by our Founding Pastor, Beth Jones, from 2020. I ran across this and thought how inspiring it still is today. I hope you will listen and enjoy her message on “The Gap Is Real! “ that space between the “ideal” self and the “real” self.
You can find all of it on our website -heartfeltconversations.com
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. – Romans 15:13 (NLT)
God bless & I’ll see ya next time on Heartfelt Conversations with Diana!
Pastor Beth’s message: The Gap Is Real | Pastor Beth Jones
Valley Family Church YouTube Channel for Sunday Service:
https://www.youtube.com/@ValleyFamilyChurch/streams
Heartfelt Conversations with Diana Facebook link:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61583338513059
Diana’s Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkeS6qzdekMr55A_b1cG_Yv2fy_BvQ27D
Thirst Quenchers
Songs to Inspire You
Casting Crowns - God of All My Days (Official Lyric Video)
CeCe Winans - That's My King (Official Video)
We The Kingdom - Jesus Does (Official Music Video)
Foundational Encouraging Verses:
Isaiah 42:16: God’s Word Translation
I will lead the blind on unfamiliar roads. I will lead them on unfamiliar paths. I will turn darkness into light in front of them. I will make rough places smooth. These are the things I will do for them, and I will never abandon them.
Isaiah 54:10: Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken, nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”
Psalm 119:105: Your word is a light unto our path and a light unto our feet.
Isaiah 54:17: But in that coming day, no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the LORD; their vindication will come from me. I, the LORD, have spoken!
Isaiah 52:12: (EASY) But you will not have to hurry and run away. No, the Lord, Israel's God, will keep you safe. He will lead you at the front, and He will be your guard at the back.
Isaiah 46:10: “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’”
Matthew 7:11: So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
1 Peter 2:23 tells us - When He was insulted, He did not answer back with an insult; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but placed His hopes in God, the righteous Judge.
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
1 Peter 2:12 says, “Live such good lives among the pagans that… they may see your good deeds and glorify God.”
The New Living Translation reads it this way: Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.
Deuteronomy 30:19-20: "I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Now choose life."
Luke 6:37“Forgive, and you will be forgiven”.
Matthew 6:14: If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.
Romans 8:31 in the AMP Bible tells us: What then shall we say to all these things? If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us?
Psalm 65:11: You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.
Psalm 32:8: The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.
Proverbs 15:3: The Lord sees everything, whether good or bad.
1 Peter 5:7: Cast all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.
Additional Resources:
Steven Furtick: Triggered Taking Back Your Mind in the Age of Anxiety
Beth Jones: Getting a Grip on the Basics is a great resource to help you get the basics of how vital you are to God and how good He desires to be to you
https://www.thebasicsuniversity.com
Joyce Meyer: The Mind is a Battlefield - https://joycemeyer.org
Prayer of Salvation
Jesus has given salvation, healing, and countless benefits to all who call upon His name. These benefits can be yours if you receive Him into your heart by saying this prayer:
Heavenly Father, I come to You admitting that I am a sinner. Right now, I choose to turn away from sin, and I ask You to cleanse me of all unrighteousness. I believe that Jesus rose again from the dead so that I may be justified and made righteous through faith in Him. I call upon the name of Jesus Christ to be the Savior and Lord of my life. Jesus, I choose to follow You, and I ask that You fill me with the power of the Holy Spirit. I declare right now that I am a born-again child of God. I am free from sin and full of the righteousness of God. I am saved in Jesus’ name. Amen.
This prayer and the comment above were taken out of the book:
Secrets to Powerful Prayer - Discovering the Languages of the Heart
By Lynne Hammond and Patsy Cameneti
If you have just received Jesus as your Savior, please write Lynne Hammond Ministries at:
PO Box 29469
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55429-2946
Or, email one of the ministries listed on the Additional Resources Tab and let them know that you are a brand-new Christian and need some direction on the next steps for your new life in Christ.
Or email us here at Heartfelt Conversations with Diana, and we will forward your information to you.
Congratulations if you are a brand new Christian or if you have Returned Home! Welcome!!! Get in God’s Word and get it into you.