When I was younger and dealing with insecurity and judgement that can typically go along with Middle school and High school, I found myself always believing that if I could only make it to the next stage of my life, I would no longer let what others said about me, and what I said about myself to dictate my self-worth. When I get to High school I won’t dislike my body so much. When I get to college I won’t have people criticize my choice of major. When I’ve been blogging a while, I won’t be afraid to share what I post with those I know in real life. I think that we all think these thoughts and many that are very similar while we’re in high school and college too. I also think that many of us believe, or pray, that these thoughts will subside when we move on to the next stage in our lives or that they’ll disappear as we get older. However, now that I’m going to be starting my second year of college in the fall, I’m starting to learn that these thoughts and this kind of critique never really subsides and will likely never to disappear. The unfortunate truth is that we will go to battle with this stuff for the rest of our lives.

Despite this unfortunate truth, I’d come to learn during my first year of college, I also learned something comforting and liberating. I learned that the fact that there will always be insecurity and criticism doesn’t really matter because it doesn’t matter who others say I am, and it doesn’t matter who I say I am because the only thing that matters is who God says I am. If we live by this, we can win the battle over the critique and we can silence the negative voice inside our own heads, because what God has to say about us is anything but negative. In the Bible, we can find many verses that lets us know what God thinks about us, but here are just 5 things that God says we are….

We are children of God (see John 1:12).

We are friends of Jesus (see John 15:15).

We are new creations (see 2 Corinthians 5:17).

We are set free (see Galatians 5:1).

We are chosen (see Ephesians 1:4).

I think it’s so wonderful to know that what others say about us, and what we say about ourselves will never overshadow what God says about us. I’m so thankful that God is so clear about what he thinks about us because it makes it even easier to rest in these things above anything else. What we hear from the world and what we hear from ourselves can be muddy and confusing, but what God has to say is clear and live giving.

Today I hope that someone finds comfort and courage in the fact that you don’t have to settle for what those around you says about you and you don’t have to settle for what you say about yourself. Today I hope that someone is finally able to proclaim “I am who God says I am.”

Faith Dumais is a bright and happy 19-year-old blogger, college student, friend, and pursuer of Jesus currently living in Charlotte, NC. She’s currently a Special Education major at the University of North Carolina Charlotte and blogger over at Faith’s Girly Life. She strives to share the love of the Lord in everything she does and is passionate about all things Zumba, sparkle, and teaching related.