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Finding Freedom in Who God Says You Are
Have you ever tried to move forward but felt like your past kept holding you back?
Maybe it’s an old mistake that still haunts you.
Maybe it’s a label someone gave you that you can’t seem to shake.
Or maybe it’s just the whisper of shame that shows up when you try to step into something new.
If you’ve ever felt stuck there, I want to tell you: you’re not alone—and you’re not bound to stay there.
This week on the podcast, I’m revisiting one of the most listened-to episodes: Walking Out of Your Past and Into Your Future.
And today, I want to walk through this message again—because even though we’re forgiven, many of us still struggle to walk like we’re free.
It’s Hard to Walk Forward When You’re Chained to the Past
Our past doesn’t have to define us, but it can sure try to.
It follows us in the quiet moments, when we’re unsure of ourselves. It echoes in our thoughts when we’re asked to lead, to teach, to step up or speak out.
And even though we’ve been redeemed, we still carry around this old version of ourselves like a heavy bag we forgot we were allowed to put down.
Sometimes we get so used to guilt that grace feels uncomfortable.
But friend, your past is not your identity.
If you are in Christ, the old you is gone. The new has come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
The Gospel Really Is That Good
Let’s be honest—it can be hard to believe how good the good news really is.
In a world full of broken promises, it’s easy to doubt something that sounds too generous to be true. But the gospel isn’t a clever slogan or a motivational speech. It’s God’s truth. And He doesn’t exaggerate.
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love Him.”
—1 Corinthians 2:9
He has already made a way for you.
And He didn’t bring you this far just to leave you tied to shame.
His Word Is Your Identity
In one season of my life, I felt spiritually stuck. I didn’t know what to read or pray. I wasn’t in a study, and my quiet time felt stale. So I turned back to the book of Ephesians—just three chapters at a time. Again and again.
And friend, I wept.
Not because it condemned me—but because it reminded me who I am.
It reminded me who He says I am.
Loved. Chosen. Forgiven.
Adopted into His family.
Set apart for good works that He prepared in advance.
“We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
—Ephesians 2:10
If you need to be reminded who you are, I encourage you: start in Ephesians. Soak in it. Let it renew your mind.
“Find Out Who You Are”
I’ll never forget the older women who poured into me when I was a brand-new Christian. One of them—Mrs. Carolyn—said something I didn’t fully understand at the time, but I’ve come back to it again and again:
“Audrey, find out who you are in Christ.”
At the time, I just nodded. I didn’t know what that meant. But over time, I’ve realized:
She wasn’t talking about self-esteem.
She was talking about spiritual authority.
About identity rooted in the Word—not in my wounds or my weakness.
Because if I don’t know who God says I am, I’ll believe what the world says… or worse, what the enemy says.
You Don’t Have to Feel Free to Be Free
Sometimes what holds us back isn’t other people—it’s us. Our own disbelief. Our own hesitation. Our own unwillingness to forgive ourselves for what God has already wiped away.
You might not feel free. But if Jesus says you’re free—you are.
And walking in freedom is a choice we make by faith, even when it doesn’t feel true yet. It’s believing, “If God said this about me, I’m going to act like it’s true—even if my feelings haven’t caught up yet.”
“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
—2 Corinthians 3:17
A Story of Grace: When Others Can’t Let Go of Your Past
Years ago, I heard a testimony from a woman whose life had radically changed. She had a rough past, but God saved her, transformed her, and gave her a gift for teaching. Everyone could see the fruit of her life—but not everyone could forget her past.
Her church loved her, but they couldn’t allow her to teach. They just couldn’t see her apart from who she used to be.
She could have stayed, quietly shrinking. But instead, she left in love. She thanked them, blessed them, and said:
“I believe God has called me to teach—and somewhere, there’s a group that needs what I have. I’m going to find them.”
She walked out of her past—and into her future.
That’s what we’re called to do.
Not demand that others believe in us.
But believe what God says about us and go where He calls us to go.
He Is Not Ashamed of You
Let that sink in.
Jesus is not ashamed of you.
Not of your past.
Not of your present struggles.
Not of the parts of your story you’d rather skip over.
“Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.”
—Hebrews 2:11
If He’s not ashamed of you, you don’t need to be ashamed either.
Let Go of What’s Not Serving You
Sometimes we hold onto thoughts that aren’t serving the woman we’re becoming. Things like:
- “I’m too messed up to be used by God.”
- “I’ll always be the black sheep.”
- “If people really knew my story, they’d walk away.”
Those thoughts are not from God.
What is from God is this:
“I have good plans for you.”
“You are my daughter.”
“I created you for a purpose.”
“You are not disqualified.”
Let go of the labels. Let go of the shame. Let go of the fear.
And step into the good works He’s prepared for you.
Reflection Questions
- Are there parts of your past you’ve allowed to define you?
- What does God’s Word say about who you are in Christ?
- Is there something you need to forgive yourself for in order to walk in freedom?
- Where is God calling you to step forward in faith?
You are not stuck.
You are not disqualified.
You are not too late.
You were made for freedom—and Jesus already paid the price for it.
So walk forward. The past can’t hold you anymore.
With grace,
Audrey
© Audrey McCracken Creatives LLC, 2025
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