Does what we do determine who we are or does who we are determine what we do ?This question sounds confusing, doesn’t it? Allow me to state it differently. Do looks, status, degree,etc., determine our value or does the Truth of God ‘s Word– specifically our identity in Christ determine our value. The correct answer is the Truth of God’s Word.

Everyone must come to grips with this issue and choose God’s way or live will be an endless struggle of performance, performance and more performance. Stated differently, our emotions circumstances, struggles, heartaches will mold us instead of the Truth of God’s Word. Romans 3:4 states, God forbid: yea, let God be true,but every man a liar; as it is written, “THAT THOU MIGHTIEST BE JUSTIFIED IN ANY SAYINGS, AND MIGHTIEST OVERCOME WHEN THOU ARE JUDGED.”

Many of my struggles to overcome sixteen years depression centered around the fact of self-effort. I was attempting to become somebody God had already said I was. How could I have been so blind? Robert McGhee in his selling book “ Search For Significance” states ( I an paraphrasing P when we are born we are born into a world system of philosophy which states who we are is determined by what we do ( performance) plus the opinions and approval of others. This system leads us into a trap of attempting to live the same way for and with God. However, it does not work. Why? Jesus accomplished it all. He settled the performance issue once-and-for all. He says that as believers we are “....accepted in the beloved.” In other words, God accepts us in Jesus apart from performance. This truth enabled me to walk free from sixteen years of depressiveness. Thank you Lord for your performance-less victory.

Friend’s God’s performance won the victory. Stop striving to become when you are already accepted by Him. In so doing your freedom is assured.