Have you ever walked into a room and something inside told you that you didn’t belong there? Perhaps it wasn’t a whisper of not belonging, but a shout. If I’m being honest, that shout rings out more than I care to admit. Often, I try to bypass this shout by ignoring it. But just when I think it’s gone, there it comes, rising up again.
Recently, my amazing friend Abbey hosted a gathering for a group of professional women, founded by her business coach Leslie. I would classify Leslie as the poster child for what a professional businesswoman looks like, sounds like, and acts like. When I look at or define myself, “professional’ is never the word that comes to mind.
I’ve always worked a job, never a career. I’ve lived at the will of an employer by accomplishing their task list and punching a clock on their time. Over the many years I’ve walked with the Lord, He’s given me dreams and a vision of owning my own businesses, leading my own ministries, and even building a team to accomplish His purposes. Most of those dreams and ideas are still just that, dreams and ideas. I’m grateful that the Lord has opened some doors of opportunity in those areas, but it hasn’t looked like I imagined.
The morning after the gathering, Leslie hosted a workshop for casting vision and goal setting. I hadn’t planned on attending, but Abbey insisted that I needed to be there. So, I showed up, feeling extremely inadequate and, even more, underqualified. I sat in a room filled with women who were rock stars in business, leadership, and entrepreneurship. They had big visions and big creativity. They were brilliant and dynamic. They were shattering boxes and stereotypes and glass ceilings. Have I mentioned that I felt inadequate and underqualified?
Leslie went on to share her incredible insight, knowledge, and experience with all of us. I knew from the moment I met her that there was some purpose in us connecting. I wasn’t sure what it was. Then, she began to take us on a journey of diving deep into our identities. She began to speak of our inner SHEs and our inner HERs.
Our HERs are who we really are and who we are at our best. Our SHEs are everything else. They encompass our doubts and fears and insecurities. Leslie taught us that our HERs should eventually outnumber our SHEs. I sat back and took everything in. I took pages of notes. It was helpful to hear examples of how those inner voices played out in another woman’s life. In some instances, the SHEs were louder and in others, the HERs won out. Leslie spoke of how her thoughts and beliefs had changed over the years. Her mind had been renewed. I listened to women in the room, with tears in their eyes, wrestle with those same inner voices in their own lives.
The workshop ended and I thanked Leslie for the incredible gift she had been. The purpose for my being in this workshop had become plain. At some point that morning the Lord began to give me revelation on Leslie’s SHE vs. HER conversation. God said that HER is who He’s called us to be and that SHE is the voice of the enemy.
Those two days surrounded by these spectacular women were probably the clearest case of Imposter Syndrome that I had ever experienced. In that space, I could pretend it didn’t exist. God wanted me to confront some false identities I had taken on. False identities can be lies the enemy has spoken over us, lies others have spoken over us, or lies we’ve told ourselves. All of those lies are strongholds meant to distract us, keep us from the purposes of God, and prevent us from becoming conformed to the image of Christ.
We all have this battle in our minds over our identities. We need only to look at the world around us to confirm this reality. All the voices around us are constantly fighting for our attention — but so is the voice of God.
I thank God for His Word. It is our sure foundation. His words speak life and ring true, just as His nature does — He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is not a man that should lie. So when God defines us, it is immutable.
Ephesians 1: 1-14 reminds us exactly who we are in Christ. We are blessed with every spiritual blessing. We are chosen. We are holy and blameless. We are loved by the Father as Jesus is loved by Him. We are adopted into the family of God. We are accepted in the Beloved. Our inheritance is redemption through Christ’s blood. We are forgiven of our sins. We are saved by grace and sealed with His Holy Spirit.
If that isn’t enough, Scripture goes on to say that we are redeemed, delivered, and set free. We are righteous and made in His image. We are new creations who now have a friendship with God. We are no longer bound by shame. We have peace, joy, and hope in Him. He has good plans for us. We are no longer condemned. We have eternal life.
The choice is always ours. Who will we listen to? Who will we believe?
If you are struggling to believe your identity in God, I’d love to pray for you!
Leave a Comment
Erin Smith says
Wow! Thank you Karina, your words are an amazing encouragement! Yes I would love for you to pray for me! Erin
Karina Allen says
Thank you for reading Erin!
Father, You created Erin on purpose and for purpose. I pray that Your voice would ring the loudest in her ear. You call her beloved, chosen and worthy. She is your daughter. I pray that she would see herself as You see her. Build up her faith to believe the identity You speak over her!
In Jesus’ Name.
Amen
Dawn Ferguson-Little says
Karina love all you wrote today. We have identity in God. We I probably said this before in comments box for incourage. We are all Daughters of the Kings or Kings and God is our Father. Who loves us and has known us even before the world began. He Loved us so much he sent his son Jesus to Calvary to die for us so as our sins can be forgiven. It says in Psalm 139 13-16 “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made your workd are wonderful I know that full well. My Frame was not hidden from you. When I was made in secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body all my days ordained for me we’re written in your book before one them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts God. How vast is the sum of them! Were I count them they would outnumber the grains of sand when I aweak, I am still with you ” So true. I never believed that for one second untill a Salvation Army officer to that to me. As no one had said it to me. I use think people only like me if I am useful to them. Untill that Salvation Army gave me that revelation. If what God thinks of Mr that is all that matters. Not what people think. Thank you for todays reading Love it. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little Enniskillen Co.Fermanagh N.Ireland xx
Karina Allen says
Amen and Amen Dawn! Thank you for reading and sharing!!!!
Betsy Basile says
Dear Karina…………A great devotion today. My experience was a little different, but similar in some parts. After I was forced to marry someone I did not want to and vice versa, but he had date raped me and I became pregnant. I am 77 years old and only 21 when this happened. Back in the 60’s, they always blamed the woman and so maybe you have heard this phrase, a “Shotgun Marriage” was required. He wanted me to get an abortion and I said no. I was not ready to get married or have a baby as I had not even established my identity yet, but as I prayed, something very important happened. My Holy Spirit whispered to me what I should do. It wasn’t exactly what I had thought of, but it came from God so I decided to try it. He said to start at the bottom and do a good job and observe everything you see and remember. I started by cleaning people’s houses and they liked my work and passed me on to all of their friends. I had more than I could handle at the time as I had the baby, so I thought I needed to find something that paid a little more. I did that 7 times until my “Dream Job” presented itself. I was interviewed twice and offered the job which I joyfully accepted. Praise to God as what was whispered to me when I was 21 was exactly what I needed to do. I was now 39 years old and I started out there as a supervisor and in 2 years of hard work and leaning on all of my experiences from the other jobs, I was promoted to a Customer Service Manager. I worked there for 35 years, a very large company and I did well. I ended up winning an award that is the highest one an employee could win. I had no idea this could happen to me, and it wasn’t your manager or higher up people who wrote home office a letter. It was people that worked for you over the years or knew you from getting to know you. I am not bragging, but 28 people wrote letters about me and sent them to Home Office in Chicago. I really believe that God rewarded me with this as my marriage was so bad, but my job made me feel like I was accomplishing something good and I had followed His advice. Definitely the HERS is what you need to know and not listen to the SHES. I am retired now and now facing many heartbreaking things. My husband has the violent type of Dementia and came close to killing me, but that story is for another day. We both live in separate places as he would not follow doctor’s orders, so I was not safe in my our own house of 40 years. Thank you Karina for this wonderful story and if other people read yours and maybe read my reply, it may help them and encourage them as to what to do and what not to do. I send my prayers to you and my love for all you women in this community. It has helped me so much since I started reading your devotions every morning. Have a Blessed week. Your friend………….Betsy
Karina Allen says
Thank you Betsy for sharing! I praise God that He turned something evil for your good.
I bless you with the truth of God’s unfailing love and never-ending faithfulness to you. May He continue to remind you of your identity in Him and give you opportunity to remind those around you of theirs.
Donna says
Thank you Karina. I will be 78 this month and struggle with seasons of depression and anxiety plus I have a debilitating back condition. I have a strong identity in Christ Jesus, but would appreciate your prayers . God’s blessings to you all!
Karina Allen says
Donna, thank you for reading!
Jesus, by Your stripes Donna is healed. I plead Your pure, spotless blood over her life. I speak Your Shalom to her anxious heart…order from chaos. May she find joy in her salvation. May Your joy be her strength. I speak to every part of Donna’s back. I say be healed in Jesus’ Name. I speak strength and wholeness to her bones, ligaments, tendons and nerves.
Amen
Beth Williams says
Donna,
Father God come near to Donna. Assist Donna in her seasons of depression & anxiety. Put your healing touch on her back. Shower her with love, grace & mercy. Send your perfect peace to her. May she feel you close to her. AMEN.
Blessings 🙂
Lisa Wilt says
Karina,
Thank you for sharing!
I’ve in turn shared on Twitter!
Sending you autumn joy,
Lisa Wilt
Karina Allen says
Thank you Lisa!!!! Blessings to you!!!
mp says
Another timely post after I left a church ministry meeting yesterday feeling “inadequate and underqualified.” Sure seems like “those lies are strongholds meant to distract us, keep us from the purposes of God, and prevent us from becoming conformed to the image of Christ.”
Thankful for this post. Joining in being thankful to God “for His Word…our sure foundation.”
Karina Allen says
Thank you for reading!
May our minds be continually renewed by His Word. He formed you and equips you for everything that He calls you to! Rest in His love and purposes.
Be blessed!
Cammie says
Grateful for this post today and for you sharing your story.
I would appreciate prayers for days identity struggle too.
Thank you for pointing us to the One who defines are identity. ❤️
Karina Allen says
Thank you for reading and sharing Cammie!
Father, You created Cammie on purpose and for purpose. I pray that Your voice would drown out all the others. You call her loved, chosen and worthy. She is your child. I pray that she would see herself as You see her. Build up her faith to believe the identity You speak over her!
In Jesus’ Name.
Amen
Courtney Humble says
Thank you for sharing this message. It’s filled with great reminders that we sometimes have to remind ourselves of often.
Karina Allen says
Courtney, thank you for reading!
Yes, we need those reminders often!
Blessings!!!
Christina says
Thank you so much for sharing your own struggle with getting our heavenly identity in Christ “down to earth”. Is the encouragement I need today to no longer hesitating and stepping out to move a project forward that God has given me…
Beth Williams says
Karina,
I, too, have worked for employers my entire life & never had a career. Some times I feel like my SHEs out number my Hers. Constantly hearing negative voices-especially when I make mistakes or bad choices. It has taken a long time for me to realize my true identity in Christ. I am a child of God & heir to the throne. All thanks to Jesus.
Blessings 🙂