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Romans 8:14-17

Identity

At high school I wore a school coloured jumper that my mum knitted for me. I was the only student at school with a home made jumper. It felt like everyone noticed. It felt like I was wearing a neon sign saying ‘my family is dirt poor.’ The way I coped was to behave aggressively. I found that was the best way to keep people from teasing me. Even though no one said anything about my jumper I still felt like a loser.

Would you share your piece of pie?

Is there something in your past or present that labels you a certain way? How would you describe yourself? A loser, successful, powerful, in control, a worrier, depressed, angry, ashamed, tired, unhappy? Hurt is inevitable and it can scar you so deeply that you may allow it to define the way you think of yourself (identity).

However let me suggest that God should be the person who defines you. If he loves you, forgives you, saves you and adopts you as his child then stop listening to people or even your own thoughts which condemn you and which label you as worthless.

Being rejected and hurt by people is inevitable. But God will always love you. In fact in your greatest need, in your deepest despair you can and should cry out to your Heavenly Father because he loves you so much. He even reminds you of his love deep down in your soul, Spirit to spirit. And he provides for you an eternal inheritance.

There are going to be times of suffering for loving Christ. But when he returns he will strip away all your guilt, shame, injustice and hurt from your life. Then we will all see without doubt our real identity.  the Rev

Romans 8:14-17 Live the Gospel = Walk in the Spirit

Bible Reading: Romans 8:1-17

Exercises

• Share a time when you didn’t fit in or felt embarrassed, how did it make you feel?

• Discuss what it means to be a child of God, apply to the first question v14-15

• Discuss your privileges in Christ and apply to first question v16-17

• How has this passage encouraged you to love God and love people?

Prayer: Thank you Heavenly Father for adopting me as your child, for freeing me from my fear of being rejected and judged by you. Reveal to me the intimacy I can enjoy with you by not being so afraid of what people think of me and how they treat me. Teach me to understand my identity as coming from you rather than from my family, friends, work, possessions, clothes, hobbies, talents, flaws and sins. Make me gracious in light of my inheritance in Christ. Amen