Restoring Your True Identity

Coach Tip

Hey y’all, welcome back to The Wise Way. I’m Coach Tip, and today we’re talking about something that hits real close to home for me — identity. Before we dive in, let’s just take a second to invite the Holy Spirit in. Lord, I just ask that You guide this conversation, open our hearts, and let Your truth be louder than any lie we’ve believed. Amen.

Coach Tip

So, let’s get real. The enemy doesn’t wait until we’re grown to start messing with our sense of self. He comes for us early — I mean, as kids. Through rejection, neglect, trauma, shame, all that stuff. John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy...” and honestly, that’s exactly what happens when those lies get planted young. Stuff like, “You’re not enough,” or “You’re broken.” I know those lies way too well.

Coach Tip

I lost my dad when I was just two. My birth mom wasn’t in the picture, so my grandparents raised me. And, y’all, I love them, but I always felt like I was on the outside looking in. I remember thinking, “Why wasn’t I wanted?” That confusion about who I was — it stuck with me for years. The enemy tried to write my story with pain, but God had other plans.

Coach Tip

Now, here’s the thing — when those wounds go unhealed, we don’t just outgrow them. We carry them right into adulthood. Maybe you’re listening and you’re realizing, “Man, I’m still living out of that old pain.” It shows up as people-pleasing, perfectionism, self-sabotage, or just feeling like you’re never enough. I mean, I used to bend over backwards trying to make everyone happy, thinking maybe then I’d finally feel worthy.

Coach Tip

Let’s pause for a second. I want you to ask yourself, “What lie did I believe about myself as a child?” Was it that you were too much? Not enough? Unlovable? I know someone who grew up always hearing they were a burden, and even as an adult, they struggled to accept love or success. That’s what a stolen identity does — it keeps us stuck, living out of wounds instead of truth.

Coach Tip

But here’s the good news — God never forgot who you are, even if you did. Psalm 139:14 says you are fearfully and wonderfully made. Jeremiah 1:5 reminds us, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.” And Romans 8:17? It says we’re heirs of God, co-heirs with Christ. That’s your real identity.

Coach Tip

So how do we get back to that truth? First, we gotta acknowledge the wounds. Don’t pretend they’re not there. Then, forgive — and that might mean forgiving others, or even yourself. Pray and ask God to restore the real you He created. And start declaring truth over yourself every day: “I am who God says I am.” I had to do this, y’all. It wasn’t overnight, but little by little, God started peeling back those old labels and showing me who I really am. And let me tell you — you are not too broken to be restored.

Coach Tip

So, what does it look like to actually walk in your renewed identity? For me, it started with daily affirmations rooted in Scripture. I’d look in the mirror and say, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” I’d thank God for His unique plans for my life, even when I couldn’t see them yet. That gratitude — it shifts your focus from what you’ve lost to what God’s still doing.

Coach Tip

And don’t try to do this alone. Find a community, an accountability group, or even just one trusted friend where you can share your struggles and your victories. We need each other to keep walking in truth. Remember, you were never forgotten — you were chosen. This week, I want to challenge you: journal or speak out the truths God says about you. And if you need prayer, coaching, or just someone to walk with you, reach out. We’re in this together, the wise way. See y’all next time.