Yesterday was our second event at Cross Connect (check us out on Instagram and Telegram). It was a success! Not only did we have a great time, but I also learned so much from others; their stories, perspectives on life, experiences, and struggles. It was refreshing to have honest conversations about real and even controversial topics with like-minded believers. Shout out to our amazing team!
My workshop was titled “Redefining Myself.”
Each of us carries a certain image of ourselves formed by what we believe, what others have said, and what life has taught us. Some of those beliefs are true, but others are distorted or incomplete. So this workshop was the perfect opportunity to reflect and begin seeing ourselves through the eyes of God.
I got my inspiration from 2 Corinthians 5:17:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
My interpretation of this verse is this:
- The first part says: If anyone is in Christ → this means making the conscious decision to walk with God and have a personal relationship with Him. It’s not just about calling yourself a Christian and knowing that there is a God. It’s more about the conscious decision to identify with Jesus Christ, to admit that He died and resurrected for us. To know that He’s our salvation and obey the Word of God. Being in Christ means surrendering ourselves to Him.
- The second part says: He’s a new creature → When a person becomes a believer, and begins their journey with God, a transformation happens. They are no longer defined by their past, sin, or failures. They have been washed clean by the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed on the cross. They have been renewed, given a new identity and a fresh start. Who they were in the world doesn’t matter once they surrender themselves to God. Think of Apostle Paul in the bible who was killing believers only to encounter God and end up converting others and teaching them about Christianity. He literally got a new identity; from Saul to Paul.
- Lastly the verse says: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new → “old things” refers to our lifestyle before we came to Christ. Our old habits, our character, the way we spoke, the people we hung out with, the things we did for fun. All of this ends the moment we start our journey with Christ. And now that we’re a new person, we have to replace it all with new habits, reshape our character in a way that is pleasing to God, live in a Christ-like manner and exhibit the fruit of the Spirit. Our previous way of living is to be replaced with a new way of thinking and living.
So to summarize: When we decide to follow Christ, a few things happen to us
- God Offers us a Fresh Start
No matter what your past looks like, once we come to Him, we have the chance to start again. Our new identity in Christ is not tied to our old mistakes. - Spiritual Transformation Is Real
Becoming a Christian is not just about following a new religion; it’s about change from within. We must want to be transformed into this new person that God had designed us to be. - We have to let Go of the Past
Don’t let shame, guilt, or habits from our old life hold you back. Yes you weren’t perfect in the past, you might have done some things you regret but that doesn’t mean all hope is lost and God won’t accept us. Even when we are in Christ, there are some times our flesh will try to go back to how it was before. It’s a battle we’ll be fighting for a long time and every time you think you’ve won the battle, another one will start. That’s because the enemy doesn’t want us to achieve our potential. He knows the damage we can do once we realise who we truly are in Christ. - We can live out our New Identity
What it means is that when we’re a new creation, our actions, values, and purpose should reflect that new identity. We are called to grow in love, holiness, and purpose in Christ. So there must be a visible change, we can come as we are to Christ but the goal isn’t to stay as we came. The goal is to allow ourselves to be transformed and become what we were meant to be.
To end the workshop, I asked everyone to write a letter to their future self. For us to reflect on where we’re coming from and where we’d like to be; what we hope to achieve in our walk with God. We grow and evolve every day, but we don’t always recognize the progress we’re making.
Writing a letter to yourself, with a set timeframe (for example, a letter to myself in six months), is a powerful way to track that growth. When the time comes, open it, reflect, and evaluate your journey. You’ll be surprised by how far God has brought you.
Stay Blessed x
