January 11
Defined By
God's Love
1 John 3:1
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
Daily Steps
One of the most profound truths a new believer can grasp is not just what God did for them, but who that makes them. This verse doesn't say we might be called children of God, or that we need to earn the title; it declares: "And that is what we are!"
This is the secure foundation of your identity. You are not primarily defined by your job title, your relationship status, your failures, or your successes. You are defined by the Father's lavish love.
To be lavished means to be given something generously and excessively. God hasn't given you a cautious, reserved love—He has poured out a magnificent, overwhelming love that changes your very status from a stranger to a beloved, adopted child.
When feelings of self-doubt, failure, or fear creep in, they are trying to convince you to look at your performance instead of your status. To find peace, you must deliberately reject those lies and rest in this single, unchangeable truth: You are a child of God. This is your new, final, and eternal identity.
Reflective Question
If your worst critic defined you, what would they say? Now, what does this verse say about who you are? How can you live out of your identity as a "child of God" today?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for the great and lavish love You have poured out on me.
I confess that I often forget who I am. Today, I anchor my heart in the truth that I am Your beloved child.
Silence the voices of doubt and help me to walk with the security and peace that comes from this beautiful, new identity. Amen.
