13 Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” Exodus 3:13-14, NASB
Be careful what you think [Above all that you guard, protect your heart],
because your thoughts run your life [life flows from it]. Proverbs 4:23, Expanded Bible (EXB)
Recently, I was talking to a good friend of mine, who is a brilliant lawyer. Watching her is how I learned how to practice law. This brilliant lawyer like so many people, especially women, constantly affirms herself. My friend does this because she has to remind herself what God sees when God looks at her. She writes statements that she posts on her mirror and says them to herself every morning and night while looking in the mirror. But this time, she wanted me to start the practice. She wanted to remind me what God saw in me. She wanted me to affirm a promise that God had made over my life. She wanted me to call myself by the title that God had given me.
This was not the first time that we had had this conversation. But, this time God had me to see affirmations in a new light. There was a time that I became disenchanted of the practice because sometimes it can be misused. I thought that affirming ourselves produces a certain level of arrogance and pride. We even sometimes believe that it can be the cure all for everything. I thought thinking in this way, negates the need and help that some people require in their quest for healing, especially in certain areas such as mental, addictive and psychological healing.
God reminded me that God had to do an affirmation to Moses. God had to remind Moses who God was so Moses could speak to the people of Israel in bondage in Egypt. Jesus had to do affirmations to remind the people of Israel who he is, again to speak to those in bondage. John 1:10-13, tells us that
“10 The Word [ He] was in the world, and the world ·was made [was created; came into being] by [through] him, but the world did not know [recognize] him. 11 He came to ·the world that was his own [or his own country; that which was his own], but his own people did not accept [receive] him. 12 But to all who did accept [receive] him and believe in him [in his name; the name indicating the character of the person] he gave the right [power; authority] to become children of God. 13 They did not become his children in any human way [by natural descent; by physical birth; by blood]—by any human parents [human passion/decision; desire/will of the flesh] or human desire [a husband’s decision; desire/will of a man/husband]. They were born of God.” EXB
Of course, Jesus knew who He was, but those He came for did not know. Jesus had to constantly remind those who should have know Him including His disciples who He was. In John 6:20, 8:24, 28, 58, and 18:5, he had to constantly tell and remind people of His Divinity. Jesus had to remind them that He was the same I AM that spoke to Moses in the burning bush. The same I AM who made and kept promises to Abraham. Jesus not only used plain language to tell people who He was, but used everyday concepts such as, “I am the bread of life; I am the light of the world; I am the door to life; I am the good shepherd; I am the resurrection and the life; I am the way and the truth; and I am the true vine.” (John 6:35, 48, 51; 8:12, 9:5; 10:7, 9; 10:11, 14; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1)
Affirmations are not arrogance or even prideful. Affirmations just remind you and tell others what God sees in you. Today/ This moment I am what God sees in me. I am a/an/the ____________________.