Remove Negative Labels

A few years ago, I was reading a book on leadership, and the author shared a study on the connection between parental communication and adults serving prison sentences. What they found was intriguing. A large percentage of those incarcerated were threatened as kids by their parents with jail for their bad behavior. Obviously, Mom and Dad would not imprison their kid at a young age, but apparently, their words became mental chains.

‌You may have had some negative labels put on you. Sometimes, the closer the person is, the harder it is to forget. It could've been a disparaging remark about your physical features. You were told, "You were too fat or skinny, short or tall." Maybe it was discouragement concerning a dream you once held, and you were told that you would never be able to accomplish it because you were not good enough. Perhaps you've been called an underachiever, a waste of talent, slow, stupid, an addict, or a loser. You need to remove whatever unfavorable label has been placed on you because that is not how your heavenly Father sees you. These two Bible verses will help you to understand who you are in Christ:

‌John 1:12 declares, "But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God."

‌Paul told the believers at the church of Corinth, "Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun.” (Second Corinthians 5:17)

‌Knowing this, stand firm that you have been made new in Christ; the old has gone, including those negative labels! Also, remember that you are a child of the Most High God, and He is for you.

‌I am reminded of Ben Fuler's Song "Who I Am." Here is a portion of it:

"I stand in front of the mirror.                                                                                                                           But I don't like who's looking back at me.
Wish I could see things clearer, oh
Like who I'm supposed to be
In every trial, lift me higher
Through the fire, hold me tighter
Remind me again: I was made for more.
Who I am in the eyes of the Father
Who I am, His love set free.
Who I was, I left at the altar.
I am Yours, Lord, I believe
It's who I am
I'm a child of the most high God and the most high God's for me."