Remember your Identity: Refocus Challenge Week 1

Welcome to the 5 Week Refocus Challenge!

For the next 5 weeks, we embark on a return journey together, to refocus on intentionality, worship, and God-honoring celebration! If you are new, start here.

When we accept a challenge like this to better our lives, we often assume our current position is negative, weak, lost. If you have not given your life to God through the cross of Jesus, this is absolutely true. However, for Christians, it is imperative that we believe the truth about our standing with God.

We are whole, perfect, righteous, accepted, and at peace with God because of Jesus. Nothing we achieve will change, add to, or take away from this position. We embrace change only because we believe in the power of working out our salvation as Christ works in us.

So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose.

Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world. Hold firmly to the message of life…

Philippians 2:12-16

In order to work out our salvation, we must remember it! We need a sacred-sit-down with Jesus. When we…

• remember who we were before Christ, we become humble.
• recall all that Christ’s death and resurrection accomplished on our behalf, we become grateful.
• rejoice over our identity as daughters (and sons) of God, we become free.

The spirit of humility, gratitude, and freedom is the perfect attitude to begin such a journey of refocus. Unhindered by internal lies of inadequacy and set free from pride-filled achievement, we can pursue God’s best for His glory and our good.

We must begin our challenge around a campfire of grace, much like Peter did with Jesus in John 21. We must recall our standing before God: perfect because of Christ. Any movement to achieve greater health, a closer walk with God, or a better use of our time is just icing on the s’more (sounds decadent, doesn’t it?).

I cannot think of a better day to start this journey than on National S’mores Day! Now, every year on August 10 (#nationalsmoresday) we can recall our identity in Christ and celebrate with those sacred squares of gooey goodness.

Dear Lord,

I praise you for the work of Jesus to rescue and redeem us. Knowing my right standing before you, I boldly ask for help to be the daughter you created me to be. Holy Spirit, help me and my sisters here to embrace truth in order to be refined and refocused.

For your glory, and because of your sacrifice,

Amen

Week 1 Challenge:

• Monday, Aug. 10: Host a campfire in honor of National S’mores Day. Share s’mores with friends, family, neighbors, and tell the story of how your identity has been changed by Jesus.
• Tuesday, Aug 11: Flood your space with truths about your identity in Christ. Write them on sticky notes for your car and kitchen cupboards. Use dry-erase markers to truth-up your bathroom mirror. Sing along with worship songs like this one:
• Wednesday: Watch for the next blog post and further instructions.

Find me on instagram and don’t forget to share your pics of your progress with #5weekrefocuschallenge , #week1 and #campfiregrace!

 

Check in (type your comment below):

What is one word to describe your new identity in Christ?