Titles That Define You

1 Samuel 4:21, "She named the child Ichabod (which means 'Where is the glory?'), for she said, 'Israel's glory is gone.' She named him this because the Ark of God had been captured and because her father-in-law and husband were dead."

I recently heard a sermon (I believe it was by Jentezen Franklin) which talked about how Ichabod's mother gave him this name based on where she was at presently in her life. She allowed where she was at in this particular season to be what she would name her son after. Can you imagine having a name which means "Where is the glory?" or "The glory has departed."?

I'm not sure if you've noticed this before or not, but the Bible places a large emphasis on names and what names mean. God changed Abram's name to Abraham and Sarai's name to Sarah. In Daniel, we see that Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah all were given different names by the chief of staff. They now were called Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. If you look up the meaning to these names, you'd be amazed at the difference in meanings.

As I've pondered the different names and the emphasis placed on them in the Bible, God has brought this thought to my mind: What titles define me?

I don't know what the name "Taylor" means in different languages, but my actual name isn't really the title I'm talking about. The bigger question I'd like to ask myself is this: What titles have I allowed to define me in life?

When I was growing up, I was really quiet around people that weren't in my immediate family. At church, most of the people viewed me as the quiet, church girl. I went to the same church for years, but most of the people were shocked to really hear me talk.

This devotional has been one I've been wanting to write for some time now. I wanted to hit on a title that I gave myself for a time that I realized I needed to break free from and not allow that title to define me anymore. That title is "the girl who almost got engaged".

For the last year and half, when people see my purity ring and ask if I'm engaged, many times I've answered this way: "No, that's just my purity ring. I almost got engaged, but it didn't work out." For whatever reason, instead of simply telling people it's a purity ring, I'd include that little extra information and allowed that moment in my life to define part of me. Something that was simply a season in my life was something I was now naming myself after. I began allowing a season to become my identity.

Why did I feel that needed to define me?

I know that season in my life was something that was a big deal to me. When things didn't work out, I saw my situation as being a failure and the end of the story instead of seeing it as being a stepping stone into the life God still had/has ahead for me. Something needed to change in the way I defined myself. I needed a title change.

Whatever titles we place on ourselves we need to make sure line up with what God says about us. We may have failed, but that does not give us reason to title ourselves as failures. We may have gone through a discouraging season, but that doesn't mean that we are a lost cause.

If I actually take the time to think about what titles God gives me instead of titling myself after situations and circumstances, these come to mind: Forgiven, pure, restored, redeemed, wanted, cherished, chosen, loved.

Is there a title that you've claimed as your identity?

I believe 2 Corinthians 5:17 has the answer to our identity crisis. It says, "This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!"

Whatever things have happened in your past don't have to label your future. If you're in a really bad season, you don't need to name your child after that. What does God say about you? His title for you is the only one that matters, and I guarantee He desires to call you His beloved child. Let what He says define you... not a season in time.

Dear Heavenly Father,

I found myself being much like Ichabod's mother. I gave myself a title based on a season in my life rather than on what You say about me. Sometimes it's easy to take something painful and make it into a title instead of into a stepping stone. Help me only identify myself with what You say to be true about me. Let all the other titles I'm tempted to allow to define me be demolished. In Jesus' Name.

Amen.