Becoming Who You Already Are: The Truth About Divine Identity
So, I watched this video on Instagram. And yes, I know—many of my blog posts begin like this. But listen, I am a witness to divine algorithms, mmkay?! 🤭😂 The video said,
You consider yourself self-aware, but if you’re only aware of what needs fixing—not of what’s already great—you’re not self-aware. You’re just being a hater. A hater to yourself, disguised as self-awareness.
Wheeeew!
I sent it to my sister-friend across the pond. She replied with a whole list:
Okay ma’am! I wasn’t ready. But I rose to the occasion. I responded with a voice memo because while I write beautifully, sometimes I speak even better. And here’s what I said:
I synthesize information in a way that many cannot. I connect things others believe are disconnected—at lightning-fast speed. Yes, I’m a slow reader. But once I get something—once I truly learn and understand—I am unmatched. My ideas are sacred. Divine. I hear and experience the God of the Universe—the Creator of heaven and earth—in such a way that others are drawn closer. Drawn into that same encounter. Closer to Him… or Her. After all, I am made in God’s image. And I am a woman. I’m just saying. Woman, I’m just saying.
I give people the freedom to be themselves—because I live in that same freedom. By being fully myself, others are invited to be who they are, too. God created me to be, and I live in that space of being. Today—two days in a row, in fact—someone told me, “Thank you. Something about you… something about you just made me feel free. Liberated. Like I could finally just be myself.” That’s one of my divine gifts. Connecting with people is holy. That same person said, “Oh my gosh, you work with such a hard age group.” But the truth is—I don’t. Because I’m gifted to love them. They love me, and I love them. It’s not hard. It’s holy.
Another gift? I practice love—real love. That 1 Corinthians 13 kind of love: patient, kind, protective, covering, keeping no record of wrongs. Okay… Sometimes I do have to work on that last part. Because I remember. But maybe I’m called to remember—not to harbor bitterness, but to prevent the same wounds from bleeding again. There’s wisdom in that, too!
Now—let’s keep going deeper. Because I know that awareness is good. Not only good—but God. So I ask you the same:
Are you truly self-aware, or just self-critical? Do you see what God sees in you? What God knows and wants you to see? Because God doesn’t just want you to identify the problem. He invites you to be the solution. To be the miracle. To be someone else’s answered prayer.
Moi
And that’s not all. God also wants you to notice the good. Because awareness—real, holy awareness—is God in action! So when I am God in action, I don’t just see the undone. I see the already done. I see the good. So I ask you again, my dear reader:
- What good in you do you see?
- What good have you ignored—because you’ve been hyper-focused on the broken, the lacking, the not-yet?
Theologian Howard Thurman asked it this way:
Who am I, really?
And it’s the really that wrecks me every time. Not who do I want to be? Not who I’m pretending to be? But who am I really in the fullness of now? In the image of God? Yes, I am becoming. But baby—I am. I serve the God of I Am That I Am. So I AM, TOO!
Reverend Ike said it plainly:
I am God in action.
And if you believe that the Holy Spirit lives in you like the Bible says then you must believe it, too — that you are God in action. God in skin. You are someone’s answered prayer.
A few years ago, an acquaintance/ new friend told me, “Joval, you’re someone’s answered prayer!” I didn’t believe him entirely then, but I do now. Because now I see how I connect things others overlook. Now I know that I am the hands and feet of God. I move because God moves me.
Your will, not mine be done. Or even better: Let Your will and mine be one, I pray. I want to want what You want. I want to do what You’ve asked me to do. Even when it’s uncomfortable. Especially when it’s uncomfortable. Move me, God. Let me be someone else’s answered prayer—just like others have been mine.
Like the day at work when I didn’t bring lunch. One coworker shared her Subway sammich. Another brought fried chicken that tasted better than Popeyes. (And they swore it was terrible. It was not! Or I was just super hungry, either way, I enjoyed it!)
A Prayer to See the Good God Already Sees
God, thank You for showing up through people. For nourishing me in every way. When I look at me, let me see You. Let me stop speaking against myself—because who I AM not only good… who I am is God in action. I am reflection of God’s imagine!
Help me be bold and loving and kind and courageous. Help me be filled with grace. Help me be disciplined. Gentle. Whole. Help me be. You said You are the God of I AM THAT I AM. And “I Am” means I beeeee. So help me be all You created me to be, oh God!
Help me do what I say I’ll do. Help me move with intention. More of You. And less of me. Because when I am more of You, I am more of me. I am God personified. So if I am God personified, then who I am must be good. Help me see the good. Name it. Live it. Shine it. Liberate it. Help me liberate others when they can’t liberate themselves. Help others liberate me when I’m unable to liberate myself.
It is the You in them and the You in me that sets us free. And for that, God, I give You glory. For that we give you honor and praise. For that, we give thanks.
It is done. And it well. And oh baaaaby, it is done oh so very well. Amen.
