Freedom & Becoming The Best Version Of Myself Through Jesus Christ

Through Christ I was Freed from all things, but there was a time where I had no knowledge and understanding of this freedom because I did not have anintimaterelationshipwiththeLord.

Growing up I struggled with an Identity Crisis. As I advanced from certain stages of life and factors such as age, I fell into a Long-term Depression. I honestly thought I knew who I was and what I wanted. Clearly God had to reveal the Truth because fortunately I was not destined to live in deception, not to say that anyone is destined for it, but one needs to Repent first inordertounderstandthethingsofGod.

Repenting brought me closer to God and understanding that Christ's death on the cross freed us tobecomethepeopleourCreatordesignedustobe.

Galatians 5:1

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yokeofslavery.

Being raised in a dysfunctional family, I had to decide on my own who I wanted to become. This opened up an opportunity for the enemy to manipulate me at a very young age. The devil made Fear the center of my life. But now this fear was dressed in earthly wisdom. I ran away from EVERYTHING I had not yet experienced. The further I got away, I ran deeper and deeper into a darkholeofmorelies.

I began drinking when I was still a child, 12 years to be a accurate and by the age of 21 I was an alcoholic. It got to a point where I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't keep up with the outside world of pretending and the internal life had become too noisy for me. I had no peace, no purpose and I believed I had no reasontoliveinthisworld.

Looking back it was by the Grace of God that I even got BornAgainwhenIwas19yearsofage.Asananti-Christ Igotbamboozledintotherestorationofmylife. Now the tricky part is that because I had no understanding of my actions, I did not repent. That is how I was possessed by the spirit of depression for yearsevenafterIhadbeenSaved.

I never really had the guts to kill myself, but a person living the life I lived could have been killed by many things. I believe, because of grace I was kept to live and seethisday.

The struggle continued till my late 20s and one day the Lord put in my heart the desire to Change. Because I didn't know where it came from I thought I could do it on my own. I tried Everything and failed. The reason I say I failed is because after every attempt I still felt Empty! It's funny because this could have also killed me but it didn't. Instead, one day I just sat down with myself and decided to try One Last Attempt and that was to give Jesus Christ achance.

I decided I was gonna give Christ a chance. And since thenI'veneverlookedback.

This was all God's doing to call me to Himself. Just as the Father walks His daughter "a bride" to her Husband, Jesus, holding her by her hand and handing her over to her Husband, Christ "Himself" the Father. I don't know if this makes sense but I was Called by God back to Himself throughChrist.

When I was joined in union with the Lord, I possessed all that He is. And today I know who I am in Christ. My daily prayer is to be renewed each moment into the likeness of God and the transformation/transition hasn't been easy but atleast now more than anything I have Peace. I no longer try to be immersed with worldly things just to belong. I finally know who I belong to. I have purpose to walkthelifeofthisworldinthepresenceofmyFather.

I have insight, knowledge and understanding of how to live each day. I'm not married to depression anymore and as I'm treading hand in hand with the Lord, I'm learning to forgive myself, I'm learning not to condemn myself and most importantly I repent and ask for forgiveness. It sounds recited but trust me this journey is even harder than the one I have walked without the Lord. What I enjoy about this one is that I know I'm notaloneandIknowhowthestoryends.

I only have one goal and that is to become who God created me to be. I'm no Saint I have my flaws here and there but I know my steps are perfected inJesusChrist.

If I were to give out an advice to someone strugglingwithIdentityCrisis,I'dsay;GivetheLord a chance, welcome him to your life and get to know who He is. Don't walk into this relationship trying to find out who you are. Make it about Jesus and you'll be amazed at what you'll find out about yourself.

[So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John8:36]

WrittenbyNokulungaShazi