As you Really Are

 

After successfully completing my master's degree in Occupational Therapy and passing the licensing exam, I received my official Occupational Therapy license in the mail. The licensing board recognized me as a professional occupational therapist. However, I didn't feel any different or truly a professional. When I started my first job at the hospital, I felt inadequate and realized I still had so much to learn. Even though I held the title of therapist, I didn't feel like I truly lived up to it.

Thankfully, I had supportive coworkers who reassured me that these feelings were normal. They encouraged me daily, often saying, “Fake it till you make it.”  With their guidance, supervision, and daily exposure to my field, I gradually became a competent therapist.

I had to put the textbook into practice.

It took time for me to grow into the role and title I was already given.

This principle also applies to our spiritual journey. 

When we are saved, God forgives our sins and recognizes us as His sons and daughters. However, we may not immediately feel this way. We often don't feel any different and struggle to let go of our former selves. During this time, we must immerse ourselves in the Scriptures and practice their teachings to become who we are meant to be. We need to grow into the title we hold. By consistently engaging with the Word and surrounding ourselves with a supportive community of believers, we can overcome feelings of inadequacy and the obstacles that cause us to stumble, allowing us to fully embrace the new selves we have already been declared to be.  

Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are.   (1 Cor. 5:7)

For now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. (Ro. 13:11)