You’re More Than A Label

We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

“My sister didn’t ask for the label of cancer. She didn’t want it to be a part of her identity,” I said as I looked around the room of women gathered for a retreat meant to encourage and revive them. “And yet, she told God, ‘if you’re going to allow this, I want to see how you will use it for your glory, even now.’”

I noticed a woman near the front brush a tear from her eye.

“And that’s just what he did. God used that part of her identity to bring others to himself, healing and wholeness to people she came in contact with. And he will do the same for you.”

Julie and I finished our time with prayer and walked off the stage. As we made our way back to our table, a woman gently touched my arm. She wanted to share with me her own label that she hadn’t asked to receive. As I listened, my heart broke for the pain she’d faced. We prayed together and embraced before she went back to her seat. I quietly prayed that God would continue to encourage her as she left to go home.

Spouse. Parent. Student. Employee. Volunteer. We are all more than the labels that we, others, and society at large have given us over the years. Although most of our labels may be good or positive, far too many of us carry labels that can feel like heavy burdens and that we try to hide from others. Labels like failure, mess-up, incompetent, unlovable, divorced, abused, physically or mentally ill. Labels we never asked for and didn’t want.

Yet God says that he can cause everything to work together for the good of those of us who love him. Does that mean he’s okay with the pain we’ve experienced? No. But God often has a way of taking the hard things and using them to build our faith and the faith of those around us if we let him.

Kendra

Today’s Act of Gratitude

Spend some time writing down the labels you’ve carried in life. Thank God for using even the negative labels for good in your life. Ask him how you can use one of those labels to bless or encourage someone else.