Shadowed Identity

As I'm beginning to read the book of Luke, 1:36 jumped off the page at me:

..."although she was called barren, she is now in her sixth month!"

Elizabeth had been barren (empty, unproductive, fruitless) all of her adult life. She had been shadowed by that identity for decades. I'm sure her hope had faded with the passage of time but, apparently, her faithful husband had never stopped praying (see vs.13). As Zechariah was ministering for Israel in the temple an angel appeared and told him Elizabeth's stigma was going to be removed...his "prayer had been heard". After years of questions, sleepless nights and futile comforts God had shown up.

There are many commentaries on these scriptures as to why it took so long for God to answer. We've heard them as well and while we may understand the reasoning behind them we still hurt. We still long for the barrenness to be removed. If we could just be "normal" like everyone else. If we could stop the feelings of "less than", "inferior" or "lacking" maybe we could put our hurts to rest once and for all. It was stated of both Zechariah and Elizabeth they were righteous and blameless in the eyes of God. They didn't understand nor did they like their position in life but their disposition revealed their true character. They may have been barren of children but they had determined to be fruitful in their service to God regardless. I pray we have that same determination.

Today we may be carrying the stigma of opinions or diagnosis. The wounds of our past may make us appear lacking in some area. That thing may be in a back room shoved off to the side, it could be laid open and obvious for everyone to observe or it may settle somewhere in between but we know exactly where it is. We know because the hurt is still there and the shadows of that identity somehow show themselves when we least expect it. We know because in the quiet of the night that past seems alive with it's taunts and accusations. The hurtful words glow from the dark corner we've placed them in with all those "what if's" and "if only's" that follow.

I have determined as those things rise up again to do like Zechariah and continually bring them to the altar. As I pray for others I will not give up on the prayers for myself. I choose not to embrace the stigma but embrace the God who can remove it. I choose to believe He has better for me and I've decided not to allow the enemy to shadow me on my path of faith. This is how I bring to death those things that want to continually rise up from my past. I only need strength for today and that's exactly what God promises. The same is true for you. You can't receive strength for the place you may be tomorrow and those things from yesterday are dead regardless of how much life they still seem to have. Determine, for today, to operate in the strength He has provided. If we're here tomorrow we can make that determination anew.

Somehow this Light we choose to live in slowly removes the shadows from the past.

While I can't give you an answer of why or how long I can assure you the shadows can be dispelled and you can receive the healing of your heart and spirit from God...it just may be step by step, one day at a time.

Choose Christ.pdf

Download PDF • 75KB