What’s in a name?

Not too long ago I went through a name change…I did not publicly announce it to everyone I knew. It was a gradual process, done over the span of several months. God had placed the idea on my heart a couple of years before I even choose to step out in faith and actually make the change.

For several reasons I struggled with the decision to do so. One…everyone knew me by my old name. Life would be much easier if I left things be as they were. Two, it is not something that is commonly done…our names are given to us at birth by our parents. Most people are born and die with the same name. The third reason, and the biggest hurdle for me, was the fact that I did not believe that I deserved the name God had given to me. You see Nava means beautiful and I did not see myself as beautiful. I am not just talking about outward appearances, I am speaking of who I am inside. I was ashamed of my past. What I had done, who I once was. Even though the Bible clearly tells us that we are a New Creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), that our sins are washed clean (Isaiah 1:18), I was not believing this! The Holy Spirit revealed to me that I had a lack of faith! I was not really, actively believing as the last part of Romans 14:23 tells us… ‘and everything that does not come from faith is sin’.

Where had this come from?!? This lack of faith…this sin that had crept in so silent, I had not even noticed it creeping into my heart and my mind? It had come from years of allowing the enemy to speak lies over me. Now that this sin was revealed, how did I break it off? I had to turn to the scriptures…

For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. Psalm 139:13-16 KJV

‘But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.’ Luke 12:7 KJV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ‘ John 3:16 KJV

The Bible contains even more scriptures describing just how precious we are to God. So many that I cannot list them all here for times sake. God loves us! In fact, the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation is a love story written to us from God. I was believing the enemy instead of the creator of the universe when it came to how I viewed myself. I was picking and choosing what I was going to believe…for I believed that Christ has died on the cross for my redemption, and yet I was not believing what the Bible said about my self-worth!

THIS IS DANGEROUS! We can’t have it both ways. Either the Bible is the inspired word of God as

2 Timothy 3:16 tells us ‘All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:’ (KJV)

or it’s not, in which case, it is just a man-made story about a great prophet…and nothing in the book is absolute truth.

Well I KNOW that the Bible IS in fact the inspired word of God. I KNOW that their IS a God and everything written in the Bible IS true! I am living proof…I am a new creation. The old ‘me’ is gone. When I look back on my life, its like looking at a stranger. Which is exactly why God gave me a new name! My sins ARE gone! They HAVE been washed away! Once I understood this I was fully able to embrace my new name, of course Satan did not like it! Right away he came in for the attack. I was accused of changing my name as a way of running from my past. I laughed…just like it says in

Proverbs 31:25  ‘Strength and honnor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in the time to come. (KJV)

She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.’ (NIV)

I laughed because that could not be farther from the truth. I don’t try to hide my past…Now obviously I don’t go around giving an account of all my past sins to everyone I meet on the street; who does that? But I do, when led by the spirit, share my testimony. I am not afraid of my past, where I come from…what I did…I am not proud, but I am not ashamed. I did not publicly make an announcement of my name change for two reasons. First, God was still working on me. (Just as he is today) Second, I did not need to…those who know me…really know me, know my story and the reason for my name change. My testimony has touched and changed the lives of too many others for me to be ashamed. It is powerful and it points to God’s redeeming grace! Just as our testimonies are supposed to do…my name is not about me! The truth is that my name points to God the father and just how much he loves each one of us. So shake off any doubt and shame you may have from your past. and don’t be afraid to share your testimony! You will be amazed to see how God uses the mess of your past to help someone else along their journey of life.