Who Really Knows You?
For women, one of the biggest issues I hear over and over is something that is connected to their identity. It shows up in many forms in the lives of women, but it stems from an understanding, or lack of understanding, of who I am, who I am supposed to be, and what am I supposed to do in life. So many women have lived all of life trying to figure it out.
For some, it’s like being anonymous in a sea of people.
For others, it’s questioning who their ancestors are and how that impacts them. Sometimes it’s a person seeking significance from the world. But whatever is the reason, many wonder, “who am I, really?” We often wonder if there is anyone on earth who truly knows and understands us. The truth is there is only One who totally knows you…because He created you.
Psalm 139 is the passage that tells us who we are. It shows us that God has uniquely created us…for a purpose! Yet, we spend years trying to fit in, to be like “her” or trying to become someone other than who God created us to be.
I recently read Deeper by Debbie Alsdorf and the entire book is focused on Psalm 139.
As the author struggled with her own identity following a divorce, the Lord used this passage in her life until she understood who she was. She walks the reader through this passage to understand a deeper walk with Christ and sense of purpose by seeing our identity through the eyes of our creator.
One of the things Debbie said that helped her in this journey was reading Psalm 139 over and over…like taking medicine until you are well. She learned to read it as often as she would normally take a medication during the day. And she kept reading it until she believed it.
I want to challenged you to take that chapter right now and read through it slowly. Now let’s look at it:
Psalm 139:1-6 says:
Lord, you have searched me and known me.
You know when I sit down and when I stand up;
you understand my thoughts from far away.
You observe my travels and my rest;
you are aware of all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue,
you know all about it, Lord.
You have encircled me;
you have placed your hand on me.
This wondrous knowledge is beyond me.
It is lofty; I am unable to reach it.
If you ever wonder if you are anonymous, this should change your mind. The one who created us, knows us intimately, knows every single thing we do, every single thing we think, and every single word we will say…BEFORE we say it!
Psalm 139:7-12 states:
Where can I go to escape your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to heaven, you are there;
if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.
If I live at the eastern horizon
or settle at the western limits,
even there your hand will lead me;
your right hand will hold on to me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me,
and the light around me will be night” —
even the darkness is not dark to you.
The night shines like the day;
darkness and light are alike to you.
There is not ONE place we can go to escape His presence! So when you think you are alone, ever, you are not! No matter how hard you try to be by yourself, He is always there. That can be both a comfort as well as an uncomfortable thought!
Psalm 139:13-16 reminds us:
For it was you who created my inward parts;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I will praise you
because I have been remarkably and wondrously made.
Your works are wondrous,
and I know this very well.
My bones were not hidden from you
when I was made in secret,
when I was formed in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw me when I was formless;
all my days were written in your book and planned
before a single one of them began.
How often do we complain about our hair, our size, our shape, our failing eyesight or some other part of our body we do not like. We wish we were an extrovert, didn’t have a disposition toward depression, were more artistic…but it’s God who designed us with our body type and shape, our personalities, and our gifts and talents. And He did it specifically for us to live out our purpose according to His plan.
Psalm 139:17-18 tell us how often He thinks about us:
God, how precious your thoughts are to me;
how vast their sum is!
If I counted them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand;
when I wake up, I am still with you.
He thinks about us continually!
The last part of this Psalm says in verses 23-24:
Search me, God, and know my heart;
test me and know my concerns.
See if there is any offensive way in me;
lead me in the everlasting way.
We must invite Him into every minute of our day. And we must be willing for Him to show us where we are falling short so that He can direct us back to His right path (Psalm 23:3) for “His name sake”.
Shouldn’t that prove our significance? Our purpose? Shouldn’t we trust His the way He uniquely created us…knowing how He would do that before we were even in the womb? No one on earth can make us feel more loved, important, and accepted…NO ONE! This is actually what I’m teaching my youngest grands currently.
Our identity is in Him alone, or it’s in something less than He best for us. Debbie encourages her readers to read Psalm 139 over and over till you believe it. Ask Him daily to “search me, cleanse me, fill me, use me”. He loves you so and longs for you, and me, to live like we believe it.
