I Just Want To Be
Text: 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
Introduction: Personality and Character
Personality and character are often defined by the choices we make, the values we hold, and the behaviors we exhibit. When we come to Christ, we undergo a radical transformation—not just on the surface, but at the very core of who we are. Our old life and distorted ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving are replaced with new life in Him.
Yet so many today are working so hard to be something instead of simply being who they are called to be—the best version of themselves. The burden comes when we strive to become what we were never designed to be. The weight is not in being who God created us to be; the weight is in trying to fit into a design that was never ours to carry.
What truly influences our identity at the root level? It is the interplay of Purpose, Priority, and Preference. If we are going to “Just Be” who God called us to be, we must understand and align these three areas.
Point 1: Purpose — The Why Behind Our Being
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Scripture: Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Purpose answers the fundamental “why” behind our actions. It reflects our values, ambitions, and vision. Purpose fuels our decisions, behaviors, and emotional responses. When we understand our purpose in Christ, we no longer react based on distorted thinking—we respond according to divine destiny.
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Application:
- Ask yourself: “Why am I doing what I am doing?”
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- Align your life with the greater purpose found in Christ, not the old patterns of the past.
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Mindset Mastery Application:
- Start each day with a “purpose check-in.” Write down your ‘why’ for that day and meditate on it.
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- Practice mental rehearsal: Visualize yourself walking in purpose before the day begins.
Mental Health Point:
- Knowing your purpose decreases anxiety. Confusion breeds mental clutter, but clarity cultivates peace.
- When you’re anchored in purpose, you’re less likely to compare, compete, or collapse under pressure.
Quote: “When you lose your why, you lose your way.”
Point 2: Priority — The Order of Our Being
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Scripture: Matthew 6:33
“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
Priority translates purpose into actionable order. It answers: “What comes first?” Priority creates discipline, focused outcomes, and guards us from emotional chaos. Without proper priorities, even a good purpose gets lost in busyness and distraction.
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Application:
- Identify what truly matters and put it first.
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- Make daily choices that support God’s purpose over personal comfort or temporary emotion.
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Mindset Mastery Application:
- Use the “Top 3 Rule”: At the start of each day, identify the top three things that support your purpose and prioritize them. If completed, it would make the most significant impact. This helps focus your efforts and avoid getting bogged down in less important activities.
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- Practice mental filtering: Block distractions by mentally rehearsing how you’ll say no to what doesn’t align.
Mental Health Point:
- Setting clear priorities protects your peace. Decision fatigue and stress often result from not knowing which task should be prioritized first.
- Prioritizing well is a form of self-care. It keeps you from burnout and emotional overwhelm.
Quote: “Don’t prioritize your schedule. Schedule your priorities.”
Point 3: Preference — The Expression of Our Being
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Scripture: Proverbs 4:23
“Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”
Preference deals with how we act. It is the external expression of our internal compass: our likes, dislikes, habits, and tendencies. Preferences exhibit creativity, spontaneity, and adaptability. However, if purpose and priority aren’t clear, preference becomes inconsistent, reactive, and emotionally driven.
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Application:
- Surrender your preferences to the leadership of the Holy Spirit.
- Let your habits and responses be rooted in a renewed mind, not old triggers.
Mindset Mastery Application:
- Use “trigger tracking”: Identify emotional triggers connected to unhealthy preferences and rewire them with new responses.
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- Practice gratitude journaling: Replace negative preferences with healthy reflections of your growth.
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Mental Health Point:
- Unchecked preferences can lead to self-sabotage. When preferences are driven by old wounds or people-pleasing, they erode your mental stability.
- Redeemed preferences create freedom. They reflect who you are in Christ, not who trauma taught you to be.
Quote: “Preferences without purpose are like a ship without a compass—adrift and directionless.”
Conclusion: Just Be
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In Christ, we are not striving to become something we are not; we are stepping into who we already are by His design. The burden was never in being—the burden is in pretending, performing, and pushing to be something we were never created to be.
When you understand your Purpose, set your Priority, and align your Preferences, you can lay down the unnecessary weight and Just Be:
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- Be free from distorted thoughts,
- Be emotionally steady,
- Be consistent in your behaviors,
- Be the masterpiece God had in mind all along.
Final Scripture:
Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
Final Charge to the People:
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Stop trying to create an identity God has already given you.
- Just Be what God has already declared.
- Just Be new.
- Just Be transformed.
- Just Be consistent.
- Just Be free.