Thursday, February 19, 2026

Bible in a Year: Psalms 45-47 | Acts 18

So much of my life has been shaped by striving.

Striving to be seen as competent.

Striving to be liked.

Striving to prove that I was enough.

I walk into rooms already taking inventory of myself. I measure my words, my presence, my worth. Am I smart enough? Spiritual enough? Accomplished enough? There is always a pressure to perform, and just as loud, a pressure to shrink so someone else can shine.

I have been juggling leadership responsibilities, motherhood, serving, and caregiving. On the outside, I look steady-ish. Those who know me well saw me stumbling and gave me grace.

On the inside, I am exhausted from trying to maintain an image. One evening, after everyone had gone to bed, I sat on the floor and finally admitted to the Lord, “I don’t even know who I am without all of this.” In the stillness, I heard him gently reminding me:

“You are mine before you are anything else.” He spoke it so clearly, so gently.

Romans 12:2
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Romans 12:2 tells us not to conform to the pattern of this world. The world says: achieve more, post more, prove more. But transformation begins when our minds are renewed by Truth. And the truth is this: if you are in Christ, you have already been made new.

Living like who God says you are changes everything.

It changes our choices, shifting us from fear to belonging.

It changes our confidence, grounding our identity in Christ instead of performance.

It changes our connections, moving us from competition to love.

It clarifies our purpose, turning us from building our name to bearing his.

When we stop striving for approval, we are free to obey. When we stop rehearsing our flaws, we can walk boldly in our calling. Being made new doesn’t mean we become perfect overnight, but it does mean we know where our strength comes from.

Jesus didn’t go to the cross so we could live anxiously trying to earn what he already secured. He came so we could live transformed.

Today, let’s live like who he says we are: chosen, redeemed, deeply loved.

Let that identity shape every step.

Questions:
Where am I still striving for approval instead of resting in who Jesus says I am?

What thought patterns need to be renewed by God’s truth?

How would my decisions change if I truly believed I am already accepted in Christ?

Next Steps:
Write down these three truths about who you are in Christ, based on Romans 12:2. Place them somewhere visible this week and intentionally replace self-critical thoughts with God’s truth.

“I am being transformed by Christ. God is renewing my mind and reshaping my life.”

“I do not have to live by the world’s standards. I belong to Christ, and he defines me.”

“Through Christ, I can discern God’s will. His plans for me are good, pleasing, and perfect.”

Prayer:
Jesus, thank you for making me new. Forgive me for striving for approval that you have already given. Renew my mind and help me see myself the way you see me. Teach me to make choices from security, not fear. Let my confidence come from being yours. Shape my relationships and my purpose around your truth. I want to live transformed. Help me be a reflection of you in everything I do. Amen.

Series Theme Verse:

Colossians 3:10
Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.

This post was written by Monique Myers, a Perrysburg attendee and regular contributor to the Daily LivingItOut.