My Issues are not My Identity

My women's Bible study is reading an Angela Thomas book called Brave. Angela Thomas is a delightful speaker, and many women at church are finding this a helpful hopeful book. I am enjoying our discussions.

However, this book reminds me that I am a lazy disorganized fearful person and I have not found that pleasant.  I don't like to think about my issues!

 A few days ago I began reading Lysa TerKeurst's Unglued and a paragraph jumped out at me.

"There is a big difference between labeling ourselves and identifying our tendencies. Labeling says, 'I am a sum total of my difficult issues.' ...This isn't healthy or productive. Identifying, on the other hand, says, 'My issues are part of the equation but not the sum total.'"

I applied this to what I've been studying in Brave, and I said, "I have an issue with fear, but I don't have to be a fearful person." So I decided to tackle a burden that's been causing me fear and anxiety. And God removed the burden in the most amazing way. 

You are probably going to hear this theme from me quite often.

I have an issue with ________________, but I don't have to let that define me. I am a Child of God. That is my label and my identity.